Women's Hoops Fall to #14/15 Mary
Washington, 67-58
FREDRICKSBURG, Va. (12/12/08) - In their second
straight game against a nationally ranked opponent, the top-ranked
Kean University women's basketball team fell short against #14/15
University of Mary Washington, as the Cougars were defeated by the
host Eagles, 67-58, in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon
to lose their first game of the season.
Senior guard Melissa Beyruti (Union City, N.J.)
led the Cougars (7-1) with 18 points, including 15 in the first
half, while senior forward Ashton Mitchell (Prince George,
Va.) led Mary Washington (8-0) with a double-double of 18
points and 11 rebounds.
In a back-and-forth first half that saw nine different lead
changes and three ties, the Cougars led by as many as six points on
four separate occasions before the Eagles took a two-point lead on
a jumper by Mitchell with exactly a minute remaining in the half
for the 37-35 lead.
Beyruti (pictured left) paced the Cougars with five three-pointers
in the first half, while junior Cardiss Jackman (Tobyhanna,
Pa.) chipped in with 10 points for Kean. Mitchell
finished with 11 points and seven rebounds in the opening half to
lead Mary Washington.
The Eagles scored the first eight points of the second half to
quickly extend the lead to 45-35 just 4:22 into the half. The
Cougars clawed back and pulled to within one point at 48-47 on a
lay-up by sophomore Tiffany Patrick (Piscataway,
N.J.) to cap a 12-3 run with 11 minutes remaining, however
the Eagles responded with a 16-4 run of their own to push the lead
back out to double-figures at 64-51 for the 13-point edge with less
than two minutes remaining.
Kean scored six straight points to cut the deficit back to seven
points with 72 seconds remaining and a chance to cut the Eagle lead
to six points with a three-point play, however a technical foul
resulted in two UMW free throws that 
helped seal the victory as the Cougars could get no closer the rest
of the way.
Beyruti added eight rebounds, while Patrick (pictured right)
finished with her first double-double of the season on season-highs
of 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Jackman finished
the game with 14 points.
For Mary Washington, senior guard Katy Larson
(McGaheysville, Va.) added 11 points, while freshman Jenna
McRae (Springfield, Va.) grabbed 11 rebounds.
The Cougars return to action on Friday, December 19, when they
host University of Scranton in non-conference action at 7 p.m.
