Causey, White Pace Highlanders Over UMBC, 47-42 for First Win of Season

Baltimore, Md. . - Radford (1-4) held off a late UMBC (3-2) rally and got a game and season high 17 points, seven assists and five steals from senior Taryn Causey (Collierville, Tenn.) to earn its first win of the season, 47-42 over the Retrievers from the RAC this evening. Freshman Serena White (Durham, N.C.) also had a strong all-around game adding 13 points, a team high six rebounds, four assists and two steals. (box score)

Matea Pender led the Retrievers with 15 points and a game high eight rebounds. Sharrie Rohde, Heather Luttrell and Brittnie Hughes chipped in with six points apiece.

It was a tale of two halves in just the first half. The Highlanders used a 10-2 run to take a 19-9 lead at the 10:14 mark. During the early part of the half, Radford shot 8-11 from the field and 3-for-4 from three-point land led by seven points from Causey and five from White.

The Highlanders went ice cold for the rest of the period, not scoring a single point. The Retrievers closed out with a 14-0 run to post a 23-19 lead at the break. The run was keyed by six points from Hughes and a strong defense that forced RU to go 0-9 from the field and force several of the Highs' 11 turnovers. Pender led UMBC with eight points in the first half.

The Highlanders scored the first four points of the half to knot the game at 23 a minute into the half. Trailing 30-28 at the 12:50 mark, Radford went on a 16-3 run, started by back-to-back threes by White, to grab its largest lead of the game, 44-33 with 6:05 to go in the game.

UMBC cut into the lead as RU fell into a field goal funk, not hitting one down the stretch, as the Retriever cut the lead to three with a 9-1 run. The Highlanders were able to hit three late free throws to hold off UMBC and seal the victory. Radford spread the wealth on the boards, getting five from sophomore Sarah Stephens (Hampton, Va.) and four from senior Alisha Jones (Mesa, Az.), senior Holly Sharkey (Westminster, Colo.) and freshman Corrie Fertitta (Roanoke, Va.).

The Highlanders outrebounded UMBC, 34-27 and held an 8-7 advantage in steals. Radford returns home on Sunday, Dec. 12 when they host Gardner-Webb at 3 p.m.