ANNAPOLIS, Md.—UMBC guards Carlee Cassidy, Kristin Drabyn and Morgan Hatten scored 15 points apiece to lift the Retriever women's basketball team (3-6) to its first road win of the season, a 59-51 decision over Navy (2-8) Wednesday evening at Alumni Hall.
UMBC scored the first seven points of the game before Navy guard Whitney Davidson drilled back-to-back 3-pointers.
Both teams suffered through long field goal droughts, with the Retrievers' lasting nearly six minutes, but Navy's lasting more than seven. With Navy down by six, 20-14, at the 4:58 mark, Davidson drilled a trifecta to end the Midshipmen's slump and spark a 10-0 run to take a 24-20 lead. But UMBC scored the final four points of the half, and the teams went into halftime tied at 24-24.
Hatten led the Retrievers with nine points, three assists and two blocks in the first period, while Davidson led the Mids with nine points. Navy center Cassie Consedine posted a game-high six boards in the first stanza, as well.
UMBC shot 28.6 percent (8-for-28) in the half, but Navy shot just 26.9 percent (7-for-26) from the floor.
Navy guard K.C. Gordon drained a jumper just 14 seconds into the second half, but the Retrievers scored the next 15 in a row and 20 of the next 23 to open a 15-point lead, 44-29, with 11:43 to play. UMBC sunk eight of 12 field goal attempts during that stretch.
The Retrievers took a game-high 17-point lead, 55-38, on nine straight points from Cassidy and a layup by freshman center Jenny Lidgren at the 5:14 mark, but Navy rallied for nine straight to trim its deficit to eight points, 55-47, with 2:40 to play.
UMBC regained a 59-48 lead on a jumper by freshman center Chrissy Robinson and two free throws by Drabyn, but Navy guard Angela Myers drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the 59-51 final score.
In addition to the Retrievers' hot shooting to start the second half, the difference in the game could to found in the teams' free throw shooting. UMBC made 12 of 14 foul shots (85.7 percent) in the game, while Navy hit just 10 of 18 attempts (55.6 percent) from the charity stripe, including just 3 of 10 in the second half.
Hatten's 15 points were a career high, and she also added a team-best eight rebounds and six assists. Lidgren tied her career high with eight points and set new career bests with six rebounds and three blocks in the game, while freshman guard Chelsea Barker's career-high six rebounds included four on the offensive end of the court.
Davidson led the Midshipmen with 15 points of five 3-pointers, while Consedine posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds to go along with three blocks.
The Retrievers shot 35.6 percent (21-for-59) in the game, including 41.9 percent (13-for-31) in the second half, while holding Navy to just 30.9 percent (17-for-55) from the floor in the contest.
The teams were even with 41 rebounds apiece, while UMBC won the turnover battle, 16-11, and scored 15 points of Navy miscues.
The Retrievers return to action Sunday, Dec. 9, when they host Northern Iowa at 12 p.m. at the RAC Arena. The game is UMBC's last before final exams, as well as the team's final home game before the new year.
