Jan. 7, 2012

Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, PA - The Johns Hopkins women's basketball team overcame a seven-point deficit late in the first half to defeat the Ursinus Bears, 66-61, in each team's first Centennial Conference game of the new year.

With the win, the Blue Jays improve to 10-1 on the season and 5-1 in the conference while the Bears fall to 5-7 overall and 4-3 in the Centennial.

The Blue Jays took control of the game early, building a five-point, 11-6, lead over the first 4:21 of the game behind eight points from junior Alex Vassila. The Bear would slowly chip away at the lead and eventually take control back behind a 12-6 over the next four minutes to lead 19-17. The Bears eventually led by seven, 25-18, before the Blue Jays battled back and chipped away at the lead.

The Bears led by just four points with just 11 seconds to go in the first. Senior Chantel Mattiola forced a turnover and stole the ball to give possession back to the Blue Jays. Freshamn Haley Bush missed a layup but sophomore KaraLea Follmer was there to collect the rebound and put the ball into the net to cut the lead to two with one second to play. Follmer was able to force a foul on the in-bound play, and after missing her foul shot, Bush was there to return the favor and collect the rebound to put the ball back up and hit a layup at the buzzer to tie the game at 29 going into the intermission.

Just two minutes into the second half, senior Kat Fox hit a layup to put Hopkins one, 35-34, a lead it would not surrender. The Blue Jays went on a 20-7 run over the next 11 minutes to give the Jays their largest lead of the game at 12, 55-43. The Bears did not surrender though, and chipped away at the Blue Jay lead until it was cut to just one point with 19 ticks left on the clock. Senior Stephanie Fong hit four free throws over the last 19 seconds to put the game away and give the Blue Jays a 66-61 win.

Mattiola hit the Blue Jays' only triple of the game with 4:33 to go in the first half to tie the school's career three point field goal record at 121. Mattiola ended the day with nine points and three rebounds, handing out a team-high six assists. Vassila led the Blue Jays with 13 points, six rebounds and four blocks while Fong had 10 points, going a perfect 8-for-8 from the stripe.

The Blue Jays return to Goldfarb Gym after their recent three-game road trip to host CC opponent Washington College on January 10. Tipoff is set for 7 pm.