HARRISONBURG, Va. (EMU Athletics) – The EMU Women’s Basketball team entertained Ferrum College for a Saturday afternoon matinee in Yoder Arena. Unfortunately, the Rowdy Royals in the grandstands did not go home happy, as the Royals suffered their fourth straight defeat 62-49 to the Panthers.

Lauren Townsend led the Royals in scoring with 17 points on an efficient 7-of-11 from the field. The main highlight for EMU was the career for sophomore guard Meredith Atkinson, tallying 10 points for the first double-figure game of her college career.

Allyson Cassell led Ferrum with 18 points, while Taryn Blankenship chipped in 10 for the Panthers.

Records: EMU 8-8, 0-7 ODAC | Ferrum 10-6, 4-3 ODAC

Highlights
First Quarter
Offense was hard to come by in the early going, with only one field between the two teams in the first four minutes of the game. Ferrum pulled out to a 5-0 lead on a three-pointer Maslyn Mosbacher at the 5:55 mark. EMU found the scoreboard with a pair of free throws by Jazmyn Taylor with 4:15 left in the quarter. However, the Panthers rattled off a 10-0 run over 3:25 of game action to pull out to a 15-2 lead. The Royals did get the last say in the quarter as Townsend drilled a three-pointer with 34 seconds remaining to make it 15-5 Ferrum through 10 minutes.

Second Quarter
The second quarter was more even, with the Panthers only outscoring the Royals 15-13 in the frame. EMU got the deep ball going in the quarter, with a three-pointer each from Jayda Jones, Laila Glymph, and Grace Burke. Down 28-14, the Royals closed the gap a little bit with a small 4-0 run thanks to Jeriyah Osborne free throws and a Townsend layup. Two Ferrum free throws with three seconds left made the score 30-18 at the break.

Third Quarter
EMU struck first in the second half thanks to a Lauren Townsend hook shot 51 seconds in the third quarter. Townsend followed it up with a three-pointer at 7:06 to draw the Royals within nine. But then the Panthers took over the game, going on an 8-0 run to pull away to a 17-point cushion, prompting Coach Jenny Posey to call a timeout with 3:59 left in the period. The Royals chipped into the lead a bit with a Townsend three-pointer and two free throws from Atkinson, but Ferrum responded with an Allyson Cassell three-pointer to take a 44-28 lead into the final quarter.

Fourth Quarter
The Royals closed to within 13 thanks to a layup from Glymph, only for Ferrum to once again have an answer with a 10-2 run to take the biggest lead of the night at 21, 54-33. The Royals stage a mini-rally, outscoring Ferrum over the final 5:08 of the contest, but it was too little and too late.

Statistical Leaders
Scoring: Townsend (17)
Rebounds: Glymph (6)
Assists: Osborne (3)
Steals: Glymph (4)
Blocks: Jayla Gray (2)

What’s Next
EMU Women’s Basketball will head to Bridgewater on Wednesday, Jan. 22 for a renewal of the Route 42 Rivalry. Tip-off from Nininger Hall on the campus of Bridgewater College is slated for 7 p.m.

— EMU Athletics —