Cumberland, MD – The Lady Lakers held host Allegany College of Maryland to 19 points over the first 26 minutes last Tuesday night as Garrett College (4-1) posted a 54-37 women's basketball win.
"Our press worked pretty well and we were able to play at a faster speed," said GC head coach JT Lewis. "We also did a better job rebounding as a team, which limited their second-chance points."
Lewis was pleased with the way his squad rebounded from GC's 90-57 loss at 16th-ranked SUNY Niagara in its previous game.
"It was a good comeback game after getting beaten up in New York," said Lewis. "The players responded well to the first loss of the season."
Allegany shot just 28.3 percent from the field and a frigid 9.1 percent from the 3-point line. The Trojans' shooting performance helped Garrett lead wire-to-wire despite GC's own shooting woes.
While everyone else struggled to find their shooting range, GC's Manuela Perez de Castro (14 points, seven rebounds, three assists) opened the game red-hot. She scored eight of Garrett's first 12 points, and had 12 in the first half as the Lady Lakers built a 27-17 advantage.
GC took its biggest lead of the first half on a Sarah Johnson jumper that made it 27-14. The Lady Lakers broke the game open with a 12-0 run to start the second half as Allegany went the first 6:09 of the third quarter without a point.
Hailey Newsome scored a game-high 18 points for the Lady Lakers, adding 10 rebounds and five assists as part of a double-double. Da'shai Morton-Hall finished with nine points and an eye-popping nine steals as GC came up with 26 steals while forcing 34 turnovers.
GC's Renee Timbers (five rebounds, four steals, four points) matched Newsome with a game-high five assists.
Kayijah George was the only Trojan in double figures, finishing with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals. ACM's Mariah Taylor had a game-high 15 rebounds.
Garrett, 1-0 in NJCAA Division II Region 20 contests, hosts region rival Frederick Community College (1-3 overall, 0-1 region) Saturday at 1 p.m.
