PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The Tigers started the game on a 14-1 run and that run propelled them to a 61-50 win at UMES on Saturday afternoon. Krystal Parnell led the Tigers with 17 points and three assists in the game.
"I thought both teams played a little rusty at times coming off a down time with finals," said Coach Joe Mathews. "I was pleased with the rebounding today and I thought we shot the ball pretty well from the field."
The Tigers opened the game on a 14-1 run behind six points from Simona Petronyte and four points from Sheree Ledbetter. The two teams traded buckets over the next several minutes with a Jessica Haywood lay-up at 10:37 making it a 22-9 advantage for the visitors. Chena Parker hit a free throw at 9:49 to start a 17-6 run by the home team. That run by UMES made it a 28-26 game at the break in favor of Towson.
The Tigers started the second half on a 10-1 run behind five points from Ledbetter. The Tigers would continue to hit their shots as Parnell converted a three-point play at 13:59 and Towson led 47-29 at that point in the game. Kwinnyata Mercer hit a three-pointer at 13:32 to make it a 47-32 game. A trey from Parnell started a 6-0 run by the Tigers and gave them their largest lead of the contest. Haywood hit a lay-up at 11:58 to put the visitors up 53-23. UMES would use a 14-2 run to pull within nine at 55-46 with 2:04 to play. Towson went 6-for-8 from the foul line in the final two minutes to seal the 61-50 victory.
Parnell added three rebounds and a steal in addition to her 17 points. Ledbetter contributed 11 points and six rebounds while Dovile Miliauskaite came off the bench to record 11 points and eight rebounds. Tanisha McTiller provided a spark off the bench by tying Miliauskaite for the team lead in rebounds with eight while adding four points and three steals in nine minutes.
Mercer led all scorers while recording 21 points and four steals for UMES. Parker had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Hawks.
Towson returns home on Wednesday, December 22 when it hosts Richmond at 7 p.m. That will be the second game of a doubleheader at the Towson Center with the men's team hosting Princeton at 4 p.m. that day.
-- TIGERS --
