Goldey-Beacom Women’s Basketball Seeks Third Straight Conference Win, Hosts Chestnut Hill Saturday

PIKE CREEK, Del. – After starting the season 0-4, the Goldey-Beacom College women’s basketball team has bounced back to win three straight games, including its first two Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference meetings. The Lightning (3-4, 2-0 CACC) will now look to even their overall record and improve to 3-0 in league play as they host division foe Chestnut Hill College at 3 p.m. at the Joseph West Jones Center on Sat.

Head coach Jen Carleton’s Lightning have been on a tear since pulling away late in the second half for an 80-74 victory over the host of the Thanksgiving Classic Tournament, University of West Florida back on Nov. 27.

With that win, GBC entered into conference play with renewed confidence and handed perennial CACC power Philadelphia U. a decisive 71-62 loss and then dominated its crosstown rival Wilmington this past Tues., 65-46.

Against Wilmington, Carleton was able to clear her bench after GBC took a commanding 36-13 lead into halftime. The Wildcats’ 13 points was the fewest points scored in a half of play by a Lightning opponent since Feb. 21, 2004 when GBC allowed Nyack just 12 points in the first half en-route to a 70-34 victory.

The Lightning feature an extremely well-balanced offensive attack featuring three scorers averaging double-figures and one just under double-figures. Redshirt-junior guard Jacinda Jones is the team’s leading scorer and entered the week ranked fifth in the conference with 16.2 ppg. Sophomore forward Irene Hudson has proven to be a dynamic presence in the post as she averages 12.0 ppg, and senior guard Janae Weldon has come through with big shot after big shot for Carleton’s Lightning – she averages 10.6 points per-game and is closing in on 1,000 points for her career.

If those three are not enough offensive firepower, the Lightning also have sophomore forward Devonne Richardson, who averages 8.9 points per-game and a league fourth-best 11.0 rebounds per-game. She also leads the team and ranks 10th in the CACC in assists as she dishes out 3.5 per-contest.

Richardson, along with redshirt-sophomore Ashley Rosario and senior forward Arielle Alford, are the catalysts for the team defensively thus far this season. Richardson, who swiped a career-high seven steals against Wilmington on Tues., is seventh in the league in that category. Alford, already the school’s all-time blocks leader, currently leads the conference in blocked shots with 16 (2.67 per-game). Rosario, usually charged with defending the opposing team’s best backcourt player, averages 22.7 minutes-per game, plays relentless defense and is usually good for several great hustle plays throughout the game. She scored a season and team-high 12 points on Tues. in the win over Wilmington.

Meanwhile, Chestnut Hill comes in with a record of 3-5 overall and a 1-1 mark in CACC play. The Griffins suffered a nine-point setback (66-57) in their conference-opener at home against Phila U., but bounced back in their last time out at home against division foe Georgian Court with a 77-63 victory.

Third-year head coach Kiesha King’s Griffin squad is led by 5-foot-11 sophomore forward Lindsay Alexander (14.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and 6-foot-1 senior center Cecelia Herald (11.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg). Alexander scored a career-high 28 points to lead CHC to victory over Georgian Court this past Thurs. night.

Goldey-Beacom under Carleton has a 4-2 lead in the short series between the South Division foes, but the two schools split games the last two seasons. Five of the six meetings between these two have been won by the home team.