WBB Can't Reel in Coast Guard

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Mitchell College saw its three-game winning streak come to a halt on Tuesday evening as Coast Guard Academy hung on for a 70-63 victory at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

The Bears (8-2 overall), who never trailed in the contest, led by as many as 23 points early in the second quarter. The Mariners rallied back to close the gap to 42-34 by break, and in the second half they got within one possession on two occasions put couldn't get over the hump.

Kyra Hartman led Coast Guard with 18 points and five assists while Emma Puddington added 17 points and eight rebounds. Breanna Wood finished with a double-double of 10 points and 11 boards while Annabella Farabaugh chipped in 10 points to round out the Bears in double digits.

Le'Sandra Turner paced Mitchell with a game- and season-high 19 points on 8-for-11 shooting. She also grabbed 10 rebounds and added two assists and a pair of steals. Sam McKenna contributed 13 points and eight boards while Kelsey Hernandez came off the bench to net 12 points. 

Coast Guard shot lights out from long range in the early going, hitting on all but one of its first nine attempts from beyond the arc in the opening 11 minutes of the contest. Puddington went 3-for-3 during the stretch while Hartman went 2-for-2, and the Bears opened up a 36-13 advantage with 9:32 remaining in the half.

Mitchell responded with a 15-2 run as Coast Guard abruptly cooled off. The Bears made only one more field goal the rest of the half as the Mariners pulled to within eight by intermission.

The third quarter saw Mitchell outscore Coast Guard by a 15-11 margin, leaving the visitors clinging to a 53-49 lead heading into the final period. The Mariners made it a three-point game early in the fourth following a three by Hernandez, but Wood responded with a bucket to thwart the charge.

Later in the stanza, a jump shot by Turner brought Mitchell to within two at 60-58 with 4:25 to play. This time Coast Guard answered with 6-0 run that included a trey by Farabaugh to keep Mitchell at bay.

Mitchell (4-4 overall) will next play at Western Connecticut State University on Saturday, December 14 at 1 p.m.