Jacksonville, Fla. ? The Stetson women's basketball team (8-19, 5-13 Atlantic Sun) was handed its fifth consecutive loss Thursday evening, dropping a 67-51 decision at conference rival Jacksonville (16-10, 12-5 A-Sun). Senior guard Sharnesha Smith (Kingsland, Ga.) led the Hatters with 13 points, five assists and four rebounds while senior center Ayesha Barkley (East Orange, N.J.) scored 11 points and pulled down seven rebounds.
Down 30-23 at halftime, Stetson found itself unable to make a sustained run at the Dolphins in the second half. The Hatters got as close as six points but Jacksonville simply answered every Stetson basket with one of their own. JU senior stars Virginia Gregoire and Regina Omoite led that charge with nine points each in the second half.
Sophomore guard Tierra Brown (Orlando, Fla.) scored eight points for Stetson and reached a career high in rebounding, grabbing eight boards. Freshman guard Lyllique Roman (Poinciana, Fla.) turned in one of her best games of the season, tallying eight points and four rebounds.
Gregoire drove Jacksonville to the win with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists while Crystal Grable notched 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Desarae Johnson rejected three shots for the Dolphins.
The Stetson offense looked much more fluid and efficient at the outset than it has in several weeks, hanging with the Dolphins throughout the first 10 minutes of the contest. The Hatters scored the first four points of the game.
After an early high-scoring pace, the defense picked up on both sides, forcing numerous turnovers. Stetson in particular found itself virtually unable to put the ball in the basket for a five-minute stretch midway through the first period and headed to the locker room trailing 30-23.
Barkley, Brown and sophomore forward Jessica Conner (Cocoa, Fla.) scored six points each to lead the Hatters in the first half while Gregoire had nine and Grable eight for the Dolphins.
The Hatters return to Florida's First Coast on Saturday afternoon for a 2 p.m. tip-off at North Florida's UNF Arena. A-Sun.TV will webcast the contest between Stetson and the Lady Ospreys.
