By Duane Cochran for FightingFalcons.com
FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- Stephanie Anderson's debut as Fairmont State University's head women's basketball coach Friday afternoon was indeed a memorable one.
In fact, the contest even took an extra five minutes to decide the outcome.
In that extra five minutes Fairmont, which struggled shooting the ball for much of regulation, found its touch from the field connecting on 5-of-7 field goals, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range to spark a 16-7 spurt which gave the Lady Falcons a hard-fought 79-70 overtime victory over visiting Lock Haven University in the opening round of the MEC/PSAC Challenge presented by McDonald's, the JW Ebert Corporation on Dan Cava Court at the Joe Retton Arena.
With the win Fairmont improved to 1-0 on the year. Lock Haven fell to 0-1.
Junior guards
Sierra Kotchman and
Presley Tuttle helped key the victory for Fairmont State with career-best performances. Kotchman, who finished with a career-high 37 points and a team-high eight rebounds, recorded 24 of her points in the game's final two quarters and overtime, while Tuttle, who finished with a career-high 13 points, tallied eight of those in the extra five minutes, including a pair of crucial 3-point field goals in the last 1:47 of overtime to help the Lady Falcons secure the victory.
Fairmont State also got 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals from junior guard
Kamrin Weimer, five points, four assists and three steals from sophomore point guard
Gracey Lamm and five points and six rebounds from senior forward
Rachel Laskody.
Fairmont State shot just 32.9 percent from the field in the game (24-of-73), including a rough 8-of-35 performance (22.9 percent) from behind the 3-point arc.
The Lady Falcons were able to overcome that by playing tenacious defense which forced 29 Lock Haven turnovers and resulted in 19 Fairmont State steals and 16 points off of those miscues. The Lady Falcons, on the other hand, only turned the ball over 11 times in the game.
The contest featured 19 lead changes and 15 ties and neither team was able to lead by more than single digits. Fairmont's biggest lead was by nine late in the first quarter, while the Bald Eagles' largest advantage was by four in the second quarter.
The Lady Falcons led 35-32 at the half, but Lock Haven outscored the hosts 16-12 in the third quarter to take a 48-47 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. At the end of regulation the score was knotted at 63.
Lock Haven shot 33.8 percent from the field (22-of-65), including a 7-of-20 showing (35 percent) from long range. The Bald Eagles' held a commanding 62-37 advantage on the boards and outscored the Lady Falcons 26-22 in the paint and 18-9 in second chance points. Fairmont's bench, however, outscored Lock Haven's 16-6.
Lock Haven had a trio of players record double-double performances in the game. Marena Lonardi led the Bald Eagles with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Jaynelle Robinson scored 14 points and pulled down a game-high 22 boards. Bink Redman finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Rileigh Devine chipped in 16 points.
Both Fairmont State and Lock Haven will return to action Saturday in the MEC/PSAC Challenge. The Bald Eagles will face Concord University at 2 p.m., while Fairmont State battles Seton Hill University at 6 p.m. Seton Hill defeated Concord Friday in the opening round, 93-82.
