AMHERST, Mass. - Despite a game-high 24 points from senior guard Kate Karraker, the Mount Holyoke College basketball team could not close the gap, falling to Farmingdale State College in the consolation game of the Amherst Tip-Off Tournament on Sunday. With the win, the Rams move to 3-2 on the season, while the Lyons slip to 1-4 overall.
Karraker's 24 points included a 7-of-14 effort from three-point range, while also adding two assists and a rebound. Classmate and forward Amber Legare posted a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Nicole DeMarchena - also a senior forward - posted eight points and a game-best 13 rebounds and four blocks.
For the Rams, both Andrea Desvignes and Camille Romero added 19 points apiece. Desvignes also chipped in with seven rebounds, while Romero had a game-best six assists and four steals.
The Lyons found themselves down by a 9-0 margin to start the contest, but a three-pointer from DeMarchena followed by a pair of free throws from Genelle Green and a jumper by Yvonne Dean-Bailey pulled it to 9-7 with 12:57 to play. The Rams began to pull away once more, but back-to-back buckets from Legare made its a two-point game (13-11) at 10:48.
Following a timeout less than a minute later, Karraker nailed a three to pull it to 15-14 in favor of Farmingdale State. The two teams went back and forth throughout the final nine minutes as the Rams headed into halftime with the 23-17 lead.
In the second stanza, a jumper off the bat from Legare, folllowed by a three from Karraker made it a 23-22 Rams lead in the first two minutes off the clock. The Lyons continued to keep the contest close, once again making it a one-point gap at 15:38 as Karraker nailed three straight free throws.
Down 41-40 following a three-pointer from Karraker, the Lyons tied the game on a Green free throw at 10:59. The Rams bounced back as Desvignes nailed a pair of shots from beyond the arc and Romero added a jumper to make it a 49-42 lead with 8:09 to play.
Karraker once again nailed a three to cut the deficit to 53-50 with 3:42 remaining, but another Romero trey, followed by four shots from the line made it a 60-50 score with less than two to play. Karraker chipped in with her seventh three-pointer and Legare added a pair of free throws in the final 55 seconds, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit.
The Lyons return to action on Tuesday when they host Westfield State in their first home contest of the season. That game begins at 5:30pm in the Mildred S. Howard Gymnasium. Farmingdale State is idle until December 9 when it travels to NYU for a 6pm game.
