Box Score

Washington, D.C. — Back on Nov. 20, the Millersville women's basketball team routed the University of the District of Columbia by 36 points. That performance was not replicated in the Marauders' final game of 2009, as the homestanding Firebirds dealt Millersville its second straight loss, 61-47, at the UDC Sports Complex on Wednesday afternoon.

Millersville's offensive stats were eerily similar to those of its last game, a 54-35 loss at Holy Family on Dec. 21. For the second consecutive game, the Marauders (7-2) failed to register 50 points and shot under 30-percent from the floor. Aiesha Bellamy's free throw 53 seconds into the game gave MU a 1-0 lead, but it was the only lead for the visitors all day, as UDC (4-8) dominated the remainder of the half.

The Firebirds reeled off 25 of the next 33 points in building a 25-9 lead, their largest of the half. Lillian McGill and Nicole Cooper did much of the damage during the run. McGill, UDC's leading scorer, netted eight of her game-high 19 points and Cooper drained back-to-back 3-pointers. The Marauders cut the lead to 11 three different times, but trailed by 13, 32-19, at the half. Emily Balogh, who has been hampered by injury this season, was the only bright spot in an other wise dim first half for the Black and Gold. The senior was perfect from the floor and the line, totaling a team-high seven first period points.

UDC, which was looking to avenge a 69-33 loss to the Marauders early in the season, helped its cause in doing that by opening the second half on an 8-0 run. Ty Abilla, one of three Firebirds in double figures on the afternoon, scored four points in the run, while McGill and Cooper had a basket each. The lead grew to 20, before Millersville tried to put a dent in it midway through the half. Trailing 45-25, Balogh sandwiched baskets around a lay-up from Jessica Beswick and Aurielle Mosley finished off a drive at the hoop, as MU responded with a quick 8-0 run of its own to cut the lead to 12. Unfortunately that was as close as they'd get the rest of the afternoon.

Balogh would lead the way for Millersville with a personal season-high 16 points. The pure shooter was 6-of-7 from the floor, including 2-of-2 from beyond the arch. Millersville, which played without the services of senior Jenna Craig, got just 14 points from its starting five. Raquel Green grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds and added seven points, while Mosley had five points and seven boards for the struggling Marauders.

Millersville played its 30th and final game of 2009, which spanned parts of two seasons. The Marauders finished the year with a 22-8 record, but dropped their last two. They will look to start 2010 on a better note when they travel to Indiana (Pa.) and California (Pa.) this weekend for Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) crossover action. The Marauders are at IUP on Saturday, before taking on the nationally-ranked Vulcans on Sunday.