Mobile, Ala. ? The Stetson women's basketball team (1-6) managed just 17 points on 25 percent shooting in the first half Saturday evening at South Alabama and went on to suffer its fourth consecutive loss by a 54-43 final score. Senior forward Vlendy Roldan (Kissimmee, Fla./Santa Fe C.C.) led the Hatters with a season-high 11 points.
Stetson senior guard Kellie Olson (Tucson, Ariz.) scored the first basket of the second half, but the Lady Jaguars (7-1) would extend the lead to 12 on a Shakira Nettles three-pointer four minutes into the second half. The Hatters pulled off a mini-rally, using a pair of baskets by freshman guard Tierra Brown (Orlando, Fla./First Academy) and one from junior center Ayesha Barkley (East Orange, N.J.0 to cut the deficit to 37-29 at the first media timeout.
Although there wasn't much scoring for the next eight minutes by either squad, the Hatters got within 42-37 with just over six minutes to play when junior guard Sharnesha Smith (Kingsland, Ga.) stole the ball and sank a pull-up jumper. Several times over the next few minutes Stetson nearly drew closer, only to be undone by offensive fouls.
Nettles' three-pointer with just over three minutes to play lengthened South Alabama's lead to nine points and Stetson would not be able to draw closer than seven points for the remainder of the contest.
Brown scored seven of her eight points in the second half and Smith added eight for the Hatters as well. Nettles paced South Alabama to the victory with 15 points while Jeannette Tucker and Monique Jones had 10 each.
Brown also set career highs with seven rebounds and four assists; Hatter rebounding individual season bests were also recorded by Roldan (five) and freshman guard Brittany Carannante (Clearwater, Fla./Clearwater HS). Karina Sproal grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds for USA.
Both teams struggled to score and keep possession of the ball at the outset, leading to a 5-5 tie at the first media timeout. Coming out of the break, USA scored the next six points to take an 11-5 lead before junior forward Shayna Swinson (Atlanta, Ga.) ended the run with a short jump shot. However, that would be Stetson's only basket in a 13-2 Lady Jaguar streak that gave them a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the game.
The Hatters would sneak to within five points with approximately five minutes remaining in the half but would not make a field goal for the rest of the half. The two teams headed into the locker room with South Alabama ahead 27-17.
Roldan scored seven points in the first half to pace Stetson, the only Hatter to make multiple field goals in the first period. Nettles had seven points for South Alabama while Jones added six. Brown also set a season high in just 30 minutes, grabbing five rebounds, as did Carannante. Sproal led all players with nine boards.
Stetson plays its final non-conference road game Monday evening in Tallahassee against Florida A&M. Tip-off from Gaither Gymnasium is slated for 7 p.m. with Bill Topping calling the action for the Hatter Radio Network; Stetson fans can listen to the team go for its first road win of the season live on www.gohatters.com.
