Spartans Repel Shorewomen In OT, 77-73

Jane O'Donnell Scores a Team-Best 19 Points

GRANTHAM, PA – April Sparkman recorded game-highs of 25 points and 14 rebounds as York College of Pennsylvania topped Washington College in overtime, 77-73, on Saturday afternoon in the second and final day of the Messiah College/Wingate Hotel Invitational at Brubaker Auditorium in non-conference women's basketball action. The Spartans improve to 3-1 on the season, while the Shorewomen fall to 0-2.

With the score tied 69-69 with 1:51 left in overtime, York's Sparkman would score on a layup and was fouled. She would hit her free throw to complete the traditional three-point play to put the Spartans up 72-69 with 1:39 to go. The Shorewomen would respond with two free throw makes by freshman guard Maggie King (Kensington, MD/Bethesda-Chevy Chase) to trim the York lead to 72-71 just 12 seconds later. Gayle Exley would answer for York with another traditional three-point play to put the Spartans up 75-71 with 1:05 remaining. Senior guard Jane O'Donnell (Cape May Court House, NJ/Wildwood Catholic) nailed a jumper with 49 seconds left to cut the lead to 75-73. Khadija Mitchell was fouled with 26 ticks left and hit both free throws to extend the York lead to 77-73 and provide the final margin.

Entering overtime tied at 63-63, Washington netted the opening two points on a layup by sophomore guard Meghan Tait (Oxford, PA/Oxford Area) just six seconds in to take a 65-63 lead. York would convert three of four free throws to take its first lead of the extra period at 66-65 with 3:53 remaining. Jaimie Sapp would hit one of two from the charity stripe to give the Spartans a 67-65 lead with 3:13 left. Junior guard Amber Madore (Columbia, MD/Wilde Lake) grabbed the rebound on Sapp's miss of the second free throw and was fouled right away. Madore would can a pair from the free throw line to level the game at 67-67. Sapp would score on a layup to give York a 69-67 lead with 2:58 to go. Jane O'Donnell would tie the contest back up at 69-69 on two from the line with 1:51 left.

York led 17-14 with 7:44 left in the first half on a three-pointer by Exley before Washington went on a 9-2 run to grab a 23-19 lead with 5:46 left on a triple from Tait. However the Spartans would outscore the Shorewomen 12-4 to close out the first half to lead 31-27 at intermission.

Trailing at halftime, the Shorewomen came out strong to grab a 38-36 lead with 15:25 to go in the second half on a three-point basket by senior guard Jane O'Donnell (Cape May Court House, NJ/Wildwood Catholic). Washington would take its biggest of the game at 50-44 with 8:31 left on a triple from Tait. The Spartans would respond with a 9-2 run and regained the lead at 53-52 with 5:41 left on a Mitchell layup. Washington answered right back with a three from Jane O'Donnell to make it 55-53 just nine seconds later. The Shorewomen extended the lead to 58-53 with 4:19 left in regulation on two free throws by Jane O'Donnell. The Shorewomen still held a 63-59 lead with 1:41 left, but the Spartans scored the last four points to force overtime. Mitchell would can a three with 49 seconds left to reduce the lead to 63-62. After a blocked shot by York, the Spartans had the ball and rebounded their own miss to get to the foul line. Sapp was able to connect on the first free throw to even the game at 63-63. She missed the second, but Sparkman grabbed the rebound to give York one last shot at winning it in regulation. Her layup though was no good and the game went to overtime.

Mitchell scored 19 points for the Spartans, while Exley corralled 10 rebounds in the win. York shot just 34 percent from the floor and only 23 percent from behind the arc. The Spartans did connect on 28-of-36 from the free throw line.

Jane O'Donnell led WC with 19 points and was one of four players to net double figures for the Shorewomen. Tait netted 15 points and handed out a game-best seven assists for the Shorewomen. Sophomore guard/forward Sally O'Donnell (Cape May Court House, NJ/Wildwood Catholic), pumped in 13 points, while senior forward Julie Sherwood (Fairfield, CT/Fairfield Warde) added 10 points. Sherwood just missed a double-double as she grabbed nine rebounds. Freshman center Erin Kile (Benton, PA/Benton) led Washington with 10 rebounds. WC shot 34 percent from the floor, 33 percent from three-point range and 81 percent (21-of-26) from the charity stripe.

York controlled the rebounds by a 51-40 margin.

The Shorewomen return to action Tuesday with a 7:00 p.m. Centennial Conference game against visiting Franklin & Marshall in the home opener for WC.