Box Score FREDERICK, Md. – Junior Sara Tarbert posted her 14th double-double of the season with 33 points and 14 rebounds as the Stevenson University women's basketball team snapped a three-game slide with a 74-54 win over Hood College at BB&T Arena Tuesday night in MAC Commonwealth play.
Stevenson's (13-9, 10-5 MAC Commonwealth) win, coupled with Messiah's 61-52 win over Lebanon Valley in Tuesday's game between two teams tied for second in the conference standings, moves the Mustangs into a tie for third in the MAC Commonwealth.
Tarbert reached the 30-point plateau for the fifth time this season as she went 13-19 from the floor and 7-10 at the free throw line. She now needs just eight points to reach the 1,000-point mark for her Stevenson career. Sophomore Kaitlyn Vantash continued her strong play as she totaled 13 points and eight rebounds, reaching double figures in the scoring column for the fourth time in six games. Sophomore Imani Sanders matched her career high with nine points, going 4-5 from the floor. Senior Stephanie Martinez dished out seven assists.
Hood (5-19, 1-14 MAC Commonwealth) was led by Alexis Andrukat and her 15 points.
Stevenson trailed 24-21 at halftime but outscored the Blazers 18-5 over the first 4:37 of the third quarter, with a layup by senior Caitlin Roy putting the guests up 39-29. Hood scored the next six points to pull within four with 4:06 remaining. The Mustangs carried a 46-42 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Mustangs held Hood scoreless for nearly the first four minutes of the final frame, using an 11-0 run capped by a pair of Tarbert free throws to open up a 57-42 lead at the 7:15 mark. An Andrukat layup with 6:17 left snapped the Blazers' scoring drought and cut the lead to 13, but the hosts got no closer as Stevenson gradually pulled away.
The first quarter saw three lead changes before a pair of free throws by Tarbert at the 6:50 mark put Stevenson on top 7-5. The Mustangs led 15-12 after one quarter and extended the lead to 21-14 with five minutes left before Hood closed out the half on a 10-0 run to take a 24-21 lead into the locker room on a conventional three-point play by Andrukat 31 seconds before intermission.
Stevenson shot 63.3% over the final 20 minutes and 47.4% for the game while holding Hood to 34% shooting. The Blazers were 4-11 behind the arc while the Mustangs went 1-14 from long range, but the visitors took seven more trips to the free throw line, going 19-32 while Hood was 14-25. Stevenson held a 43-32 rebounding advantage.
The Mustangs close out the regular season Saturday when they hosts Alvernia University in a 3:00 Senior Day contest at Owings Mills Gymnasium.
