January 10, 2004
Shorewomen Rally for Win Over Hood
Smith Leads Way with 24 Points, 18 Boards

CHESTERTOWN, MD – Senior guard Yianna Patronas (Bethesda, MD/Walt Whitman) hit the game-winning free throws with 23 seconds to play as host Washington College rallied from a 10-point second half deficit to pull out a 75-73 win over visiting Hood College this afternoon in women's basketball action at Cain Athletic Center. The Shorewomen (3-7) got a game-high 24 points and a career-high and game-high 18 rebounds from senior forward Liz Smith (Sharpsburg, MD/Boonsboro) in the win.

The Blazers (4-4), who held a 40-31 lead at the break, were ahead 58-48 with 12:36 remaining in the second half. The Shorewomen then went on a 16-4 run over the next 6:32 to take their first lead of the second half at 64-62 with 6:04 to play on a three-pointer by senior guard Katie Piringer (Potomac, MD/Stone Ridge). There were five lead changes and five ties in the next 4:27, with the Blazers taking their final lead of the contest on a pair of free throws by Rita Willis that gave Hood a 73-71 lead with 1:37 to play.

Washington turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, but Hood missed two shots that would have pushed the lead to four at the other end of the court before Smith grabbed her 18th rebound of the game to give the Shorewomen the ball with 58 seconds left. Piringer scored on a lay-up off an assist from Patronas with 50 seconds to play to tie the game at 73-73. Piringer then stole the ball with 26 seconds left and passed the ball ahead to Patronas who was fouled and made both attempts to win the game.

Smith's 24 points came on 10-for-17 shooting from the field and seven of her 18 rebounds were on the offensive end. She also blocked two shots in the win. Piringer finished with 14 points in 18 minutes off the bench for Washington, knocking down four-of-seven three-point field goal attempts and 5-of-11 shots overall. Patronas, senior guard Karen Simos (North Potomac, MD/Thomas S. Wootton), and freshman forward Lauren Duckworth (Newtown, PA/Archbishop Wood) each scored 10 points for the Shorewomen. Duckworth, whose 10 points were a career-high, also pulled down nine rebounds, while Patronas dished out six assists. Junior guard Jeremy Cook (Pattenburg, NJ/North Hunterdon) matched her career high with a game-best seven assists.

Katie Brennan led Hood with 17 points and two blocked shots, while Danielle Allen added 14 points, a team-high seven boards, and two blocks. Kathryn Linehan finished with 13 points, Melissa Kolb tallied 12, and Willis contributed 10.

The Shorewomen outrebounded the Blazers, 49-36, in the game and 21-11 on the offensive glass.

The Shorewomen return to action Tuesday with a Centennial Conference home game against Gettysburg at 6:00 p.m.

BOX SCORE