Cleveland, Tenn. --Â The Lady Hawks dropped a hard-fought game with St. Leo Saturday afternoon, 62-61, from Walker Arena on the campus of Lee University.
Shorter moved to 0-2 on the young season; while the Lions even their record at 1-1.
Down 35-27 at the half, the Lady Hawks turned things around in the third to make St. Leo work for the win. During the frame, Shorter outscored the Lions 15-2, scoring the quarter's first six points; cutting the SLU lead to two (35-33) on a three from
Bianca Thornton with 6:27 remaining. The Lions then struck for their only basket of the frame moments later, but Shorter answered with nine unanswered to take a 42-37 advantage into the final ten minutes.
St. Leo regrouped in the fourth, and opened the quarter on a 7-0 run, taking the lead 43-42, on a free throw with 7:49 to play. From there the teams traded baskets and the lead, with neither able to make a considerable run. Shorter twice led by as many as five late, but the Lions kept chipping and tied the game with just over a minute to play 58-58. In the final minute Shorter tallied a free throw from
Roni Richardson and a jumper from
BreAnna Thompson to make it a 61-59 game. Only to have St. Leo covert a three in the final seconds to earn the win, 62-61.
In total, three players finished in double figures with Thompson leading the effort with 13 points. Thornton added twelve and
Denise Newton chipped in with eleven.
Tatum Ragsdale just missed double figures, recording nine in the game. Thompson and Ragsdale each finished with eight rebounds, as well.
Ragen Dotson led the Lions with 21 points.
Shorter will be back in action Wednesday, November 15, as they host Carver College in the annual Breast Cancer Classic from the Winthrop-King Centre. Game time is set for 7:30pm.
