CLINTON, S.C. ? With only seven players available for the final game of the 2008-09 season, Presbyterian College women's basketball suffered a 55-39 loss to Coastal Carolina on Monday night at the Templeton Center.
Junior forward Lea Smith (Marion, N.C./McDowell) was one rebound shy of a double-double, putting up 16 points and grabbing nine boards to lead the Blue Hose in both categories. Freshman Kristen Stevens (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central) also recorded double figures, scoring 12 points for PC.
Coastal Carolina (16-13, 8-8 Big South) led for the entire 40 minutes on Monday evening. The Chanticleers shot 43.3 percent from the floor in the first half, including 4-of-12 from beyond the arc on the way to a 33-20 halftime lead. PC was down by 15 with just over one minute left in the half before sophomore guard Katlin Moore (Fort Mill, S.C./Charlotte Catholic (N.C.)) sank a pair of free throws. Seconds later she rebounded a missed CCU shot and dished it off to Smith who ran the length of the floor for a layup, decreasing the lead to 31-20. Coastal Carolina's Amanda Stull finished the half with a basket in the paint to enter the locker room with a 13-point lead for the Chanticleers.
Down 40-28 with 12:35 left in the game, Stevens started a 6-2 run for the Blue Hose with two free throws. Moore followed it up with two more from the free throw line and Smith ended the run with an offensive rebound and the put back, shrinking the Chanticleers' lead to nine with 11:39 on the clock.
Coastal Carolina finished the night on a strong note with a jumper and foul shot by Sydnei Moss, who racked up a game-high 20 points.
PC went 9-for-10 from the line, while the Chanticleers made just 4-of-10 from the charity stripe on the evening. CCU pulled down 39 boards while the Blue Hose grabbed 33 off the glass.
The game marked the end of PC's 2008-09 season where the Blue Hose compiled a 4-25 record. In head coach Ronny Fisher's first year the team doubled the number of victories it had from 2007-08 and earned its first win over a Big South opponent.
The Blue Hose won't lose any players to graduation next year and have signed four incoming freshman to the 2009-10 squad.
