Winter Park, Fl.—In the Lakers' first overtime game of the season, the Mercyhurst Women's Basketball team outlasted Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for an 82-77 win, their first of the season.
After falling behind 25-18 in the first quarter, the Lakers got rolling in the second frame. Grace Centrulla started the scoring with a layup and jumper to begin cutting into the lead. After a layup from Meghan Komendarek put the game within one, Centrulla sunk a three-pointer to give the Lakers a two-point lead.
The lead would change hands eight different times in just the second quarter, and though the Eagles were ahead heading into halftime, it was a layup from Centrulla in the final minute that left Embry-Riddle with a narrow 37-36 lead.
Centrulla finished the first half with 17 points and would end the night with 33, the highest mark this season from a Laker. He also completed the double-double with 10 rebounds.
The Lakers kept the eagles within arm's reach throughout the third frame as each team scored 13 points, and the fourth quarter proved just as competitive.
Embry-Riddle stretched their lead to five points twice in fourth, including as late as six minutes, before Mercyhurst began to claw their way back. Layups from Centrulla and Grace Clary brought the game back to within one with 3:40 to go, but neither team would be able to score again until less than 90 seconds remain.
Jayde Boyd stole the ball away from Rachel Murray and headed down the court before she was fouled on the fast break by Macee Sugrue, sending Boyd to the line for two. She sank both to tie the game and then take the lead.
Seconds later, it was Boyd who fouled Murray to force her to the line, and Murray returned the favor to put Embry-Riddle up 62-61. A layup from Centrulla and free throw from Julia Buchman gave the Lakers a two-point lead, but the Eagles evened things up once again.
Another layup from Boyd gave the Lakers another temporarily lead, but Shelby Bischoff netted a jumper with two seconds left to send the game to overtime, tied 66-66.
After both teams combined to miss three shots to start overtime, it was Embry-Riddle that got on the board first with a pair of free throws. But the Lakers took over from there, with Centrulla tying the game with a layup and giving the Lakers the lead with a pair of free throws.
The Lakers would convert 11 of 14 free-throw attempts during the overtime period, helping them to as much as an eight-point lead with three seconds left. A last-second three-pointer from Bischoff brought the final margin to five points.
The game marked the Lakers' first venture into overtime this season, and their first win in an extra frame since 2012.
The Lakers shot 41 percent from the floor overall, and despite not stepping to the free-throw line at all in the first half, finished the night 19-for-24.
In addition to Centrulla's performance, the Lakers benefited from Boyd's double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) and 10 points from Clary.
Up Next
The Lakers finish up their weekend with a game against their hosts, Rollins College, Saturday at 2 p.m. Rollins lost to Grand Valley State University, 70-39, on Friday.
