Nov. 15, 2003

Box Score

Garden City, N.Y. -

In a hard fought contest, the Adelphi University women's basketball team fell to American International College (AIC) 78-76, in its season home opener Saturday night at Woodruff Hall. Senior Jamie Douglas led the Panthers with 18 points along with six rebounds.

Douglas became just the 14th player in Adelphi history to score 1000 career points. Needing just seven points going into tonight's game, she was fouled on a made basket in the 13th minute of the first half. In front of a record-setting crowd of over 500 fans, Douglas hit the free throw to reach her 1000th point. Her current career total stands at 1,011.

Sophomore forward Meranne Whitney and senior guard Kerri Kirschbaum each had 14 points. Whitney also pulled down seven rebounds. Sophomore Carlyshia Hurdle collected 12 points and a game-high 11 boards to pick up the double-double.

Both teams got off to a slow start with the Yellow Jackets holding a 4-1 advantage with 17:16 remaining in the first half. The Panthers trailed by as much as seven, 15-8, with 13:15 on the clock. Spurred by a three-pointer from sophomore Melanie Mangone, Adelphi rattled off nine unanswered points to take the lead, 17-15. The lead changed several times before the Panthers took control, outscoring AIC 25-11 over the final 11 minutes. At intermission, Adelphi led 44-29.

The second half became more aggressive with both teams trading baskets. Capped by a three-point field goal by Whitney, the Panthers realized its largest lead of the contest, 55-39, with 15:22 remaining. AIC rallied back, led by junior guard Megan Ladley who registered 23 of her game-high 28 points in the second half, including 7-of-9 from three-point range. Trailing by three, the Panthers closed to within one on a jumper by Hurdle with less than a minute to play. With 11 seconds on the clock, Adelphi had one more opportunity to take the lead after a missed AIC foul shot, but they were unable to convert. The Yellow Jackets held on for the win, 78-76.

Adelphi returns to action next weekend, traveling to the Shippensburg Tournament where they will face nationally ranked Glenville State University on Friday, November 21, at 1:30 p.m.