Radford Falls to Liberty, 86-71

LYNCHBURG, Va. - Despite a career and game high 24 points from freshman Corrie Fertitta (Roanoke, Va.), Radford could not overcome a slow first half as it fell at Liberty, 86-71 from the Vines Center this evening. Katie Feenstra led five Lady Flames in double figures with 20 points and 18 rebounds with Kristal Tharp adding 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting.

Fertitta finished the game shooting 7-for-12 from the field, 3-of-4 from three-point land and 7-for-8 from the line. Senior Taryn Causey (Collierville, Tenn.) added 18 points and a team best four assists and sophomore Shavon Earp (Hampton, Va.) chipped in with 15 points. For the Lady Flames, Daina Staugaintiene scored 15 points, with Allyson Fasnacht and Rima Margeviciute chipping in with 11 and 10 points respectively.

Liberty shot 48 percent in the first half and forced 12 turnovers, leading to 18 points, to take a commanding 45-28 lead at halftime. After an early 4-4 tie, the Lady Flames used a 10-0 run to take a 14-4 lead at 15:54. A RU free throw cut it to nine and that was the last time the Highs had the score under 10 points. The Highlanders kept it around a 10-point deficit for the next seven minutes, before LU went on a 15-2 run to grab its largest lead of the half at 44-21 with two minutes to go. Radford used a 7-1 spurt to close out the half.

In the first half, sophomore Earp and Fertitta led the Highs with 11 and 10 points. Feenstra and Staugaitiene led the Lady Flames with 11 points with Kristal Tharp chipping in with 10 at the break.

The Highlanders fought hard in the second half but were unable to get the deficit under 10 points until just over a minute left in the game.

The Lady Flames outrebounded Radford, 40-23. Freshman Kelli Darden (Chesapeake, Va.) led RU on the glass with seven rebounds. She also had two blocks, moving her into sixth in a single-season at Radford with 36.

Radford shot 44 percent for the game, 48.5 in the second half, while LU shot 51 percent. The Highs ended a drought from three-point land, shooting, 47 percent (9-19), while the Lady Flames shot a blistering 62.5 percent from the land of three.

The Highlanders return home next Saturday when they host Winthrop at 7 pm.