ANNAPOLIS, Md. (November 15, 2023) – It took an extra five minutes, but Mount St. Mary's women's basketball earned their first victory of the 2023-24 season in a 67-59 overtime thriller against Navy.
Isabella Hunt made two critical free throws with 0.4 seconds left in regulation, and strong defense by the team in the extra session coupled with key layups propelled the Mountaineers to the win.
Hunt finished with her fourth career double-double, setting a career-high for rebounds and matching a career best in points with a 15-15 game.
Jessica Tomasetti recorded her third career 20-point effort, drawing 14 trips to the line, making 11 of them.
Jo Raflo finished in double figures with 11 points.
Raflo was the main catalyst in the opening half, scoring five of the first seven points to propel the Mount to an opening lead. After Navy rallied to score the next nine, Raflo connected from long range again and
Jada Lee earned her first points of the season for a 14-13 edge after one.
KC Carter sparked the second quarter with back-to-back treys, granting the Mountaineers the advantage for the rest of the half. A late Midshipmen run put the score at 28-27 at the break. Hunt and Tomasetti made early buckets in the third quarter, but Navy free throws helped them stay in line. With the game tied at 33, the home team earned a 7-0 run that put them ahead for the rest of the quarter.
Down 44-40 with 10 minutes left, more clutch shots – this time from
Tessa Engelman and
McKenzie Matheny – brought the Mount back into the contest. Navy would inch the lead up by as much as five, but as the seconds ticked away the visitors found themselves down two with control of the last possession. The Midshipmen worked to bust the play, forcing a desperation three-point attempt by Hunt. Fouled by Morganne Andrews, the senior had a chance to secure a win but missed the front end. Regaining composure, Hunt knocked down the next two to send the contest to overtime.
Defense proved mighty in the additional frame as the Mountaineers forced turnovers, which included a couple of momentum aiding charge calls, and numerous missed shots from the Midshipmen. Lee and Hunt finished layups to put the Mount ahead for good. Foul shots bumped the game to a 10-point margin, more than enough to fend off a late Navy charge and preserve the win.
Mount St. Mary's opens their home slate this Saturday, November 18 when they welcome in the Big Red of Cornell. Tip-off is at 5 p.m. from Knott Arena.
