ANDERSON, S.C. -- The Anderson women's basketball team overcame
early shooting woes and avenged an earlier loss to Limestone by
topping the Lady Saints, 56-53, in Conference Carolinas action
Monday night at the Abney Athletic Center. Anderson freshman Maci
Siniard's two free throws with 1:29 left in the game snapped a
48-48 tie and the Trojans were a perfect four-of-four at the stripe
inside the final minute to hold off the Lady Saints and even the
season series, while snapping Limestone's six-game win streak.
Anderson claimed its second straight win and improved to 11-9
overall and 10-5 in conference action, while Limestone dropped to
12-9 and 10-6. The Trojans were a red-hot 19-of-20 from the line on
the night while the Lady Saints connected on just 12-of-23 (52.2%).
Trailing, 45-34, with just more than eight minutes on the clock,
the Trojans went on a 14-2 outburst over the next four minutes and
claimed their first lead of the night on two free throws by guard
Alexa Neal with 3:24 left. The Lady Saints misfired on three of six
free throws down the stretch, but pulled to within just a single
point twice inside the final 48 seconds of the game. With the Lady
Saints pressuring the ball, the Trojans pushed out to a 54-50
advantage when Siniard got behind the Limestone defense for an open
layup with just 16 ticks on the clock. But the Lady Saints' Maria
Young countered with a long 3-pointer from the left wing and it was
a one-point game with 6.0 showing on the clock. Limestone then sent
Neal to the line and the 5-foot-8 junior calmly sank both free
throws to set the final margin as Young's shot at the buzzer was
off the mark. "I am very proud of this team," Anderson head coach
Jim Brunelli said. "They have a will to win like I've never seen
before and they didn't quit." Neal and Ashley Abed shared team-high
scoring honors with 10 points each, while Abed and forward Korie
Sellers each pulled down a game-high six rebounds. Young netted a
game-high 18 points for Limestone and Tia Williams added 10 points
on the night. Anderson wraps up its three-game homestand when Coker
College invades the Abney Center on Thursday. Tip-off is scheduled
for 5:30 p.m. in the first contest of a women's-men's doubleheader.
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