LANCASTER, PA - McDaniel College guard Kristy Costa scored a game high 21 points, including 15 points in 11 minutes in the second half, to lead the McDaniel College Green Terror to a 66-53 win over Franklin & Marshall College in Centennial Conference women's basketball action at the Mayser Center.
Leading 28-26 at halftime, McDaniel (8-2, 4-1 Centennial Conference) saw its lead turn into a deficit 14 seconds into the second half as F&M guard Christy Strunk (Jr., Pittsburgh, PA/North Allegheny) drained a three-pointer to give F&M a 29-28 lead. However, it marked the only time McDaniel trailed in the game as the Terror countered with a 9-0 run as Costa made a pair of lay-ups and three-of-four at the free throw line while guard Kelly Cramp chipped in a bucket for a 37-29 lead with 16:39 left on the game clock.
F&M forward Emily Weaver (So., Prince Frederick, MD/Calverton) responded with a lay-up to slice the margin to six points, but Costa connected on two field goals, guard Sara Frenz added a three-pointer and forward Amy Watson made a free throw to account for an 8-0 run for a 45-31 lead with 12:48 remaining on the game clock.
Guard Brittany Braxton (Fr., Pearl River, NY/Nanuet) drained a three-pointer and Weaver made a free throw to trim the margin back to 45-35 with 11:53 to go, but McDaniel's Mary Abrams and Heather Thompson made a free throw and a lay-up, respectively, to push the lead out to 13 points (48-35) with 8:54 remaining in the game.
The Diplomats trimmed the lead to 10 points at 50-40 with 7:24 left as Weaver made a bucket and a free throw, but McDaniel engineered an 11-1 run to make the score 61-41 with 4:37 as the Terror took the 13 point victory.
For F&M, Strunk led the way with 15 points with three assists, while Lauren Dodrill (Jr., Timonium, MD/Roland Park) chipped in 10 points and a game high 15 rebounds and Weaver tacked on 14 points and 10 boards.
For McDaniel, 11 different players scored as Cramp (11 points, five assists, three steals) joined Costa as the only Terror players to reach double digits.
Franklin & Marshall (3-7, 2-3 CC) will return to action on January 8 at Centennial Conference foe Ursinus College. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.
