Box Score Feb. 10, 2009
Box Score
Dayton, Ohio - The Fordham women's basketball team fell short of winning back-to-back Atlantic 10 games for the first time since the 2005-06 season as they surrendered a 82-45 loss to the Dayton Flyers at the UD Arena.
The Rams fall to 8-16 (1-8 Atlantic 10) with Dayton moving to 14-10 (4-5 Atlantic 10).
The normally steady Fordham defense that entered the game as the second best scoring defense in the Atlantic 10 had a hard time keeping the hot shooting Flyers under control in the first half. Dayton completed 66.7% of their shots on 18 of 29 shooting from the field for 48 first half points as freshman Casey Nance missed only one of her nine shots for 16 points in the half.
The contest opened up with Nance knocking down five straight shots for 10 of the Flyers first 13 points. Two straight De'Sarae Chambers three-pointers put Dayton well in control, 21-4, with 11:30 remaining in the first half.
The Rams chipped away at the 17 point deficit with three straight baskets, started off with senior Annie Zopf hitting two of her nine points. Dayton would continue to control the half, scoring 24 points to Fordham's 12 to enter the break on top, 48-22.
The second half opened up much like the first, with Dayton going on an 18-2 run. Takita Earl hit the lone Fordham basket during that stretch.
A Becky Peters trey from the left side would spark the Fordham offense and start off a strong 11-2 Rams run that put an end to on-point Dayton shooting. For the rest of the game, the Rams would keep it relatively the same with the Flyers as Kristina Bell scored five of the Fordham's nine remaining points. Dayton added 13 to close out the game, 82-45.
Annie Zopf led the way for the Fordham offense with nine points, three assists and one steal. Kyara Weekes added seven as Tiffany Stokes and Becky Peters each chipped in five points.
From a blocking stand point, the seven rejections the Rams put together is their best mark this season since recording eight blocks against Norfolk State on December 28, 2008. Carissa Morrill registered three blocks to lead the team.
Casey Nance led all scorers with 21 points as Dayton's De'Sarae Chambers and Justine Raterman scored 16 and 14 points, respectively.
The Fordham women's basketball team will return to the Rose Hill Gym on Saturday, February 14th as they host the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in a 1:00 PM tip-off.
NOTES: With their win over La Salle on February 7, the Rams captured their first conference win in over two years. If Fordham was able to secure a win against the Flyers, it would have been the first back-to-back wins in conference play since the 2005-06 season where the Rams defeated La Salle, 76-68, in Philadelphia and Saint Louis, 70-58, at the Rose Hill Gym.
