WASHINGTON, D.C. - Junior guard
Sekya Campbell turned in a monster double-double with career-highs of 23 points and 19 rebounds, leading the Drew University women's basketball team to a 76-71 victory at Catholic University in its season and Landmark Conference opener.
Senior guard
Julia Ramos added 18 points and seven assists for the Rangers while sophomore guard
Joey Meyers notched a double-double of her own with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and she also hit a
spectacular 3-pointer falling out of bounds at a crucial moment late in the game. Sophomore guard
Kyra Mann contributed with 10 points and six rebounds in her collegiate debut.
Amanda Johnson paced Catholic with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the game was played before no fans while players were required to wear masks.
The Rangers were in front for most of the opening quarter and led 17-12 at the end of the period. Drew pushed its lead to 14 (30-16) midway through the second quarter and held a commanding 36-23 advantage at the half.
Drew appeared to be in control late in the third quarter before the Cardinals used a 9-2 run to climb back into it. The Rangers led just 53-49 heading into the final stanza.
Catholic came back to take the lead early in the fourth quarter, setting up a close finish. The Cardinals trailed by only two with 4:19 left, but that's when Meyers connected on her dramatic shot. Tracking down an errant inbound pass from under the basket, she saved the ball from going out of bounds and tossed up a shot in the same motion, beating the shot clock to make it 68-63.
The hosts pulled to within one in the final two minutes, but that's when Campbell came up with two crucial buckets to push the lead to five and open up some breathing room. Ramos would then hit a pair of big free throws with 24 seconds left to push the lead back to five before Campbell knocked down two at the stripe eight seconds later to set the final score.
The two sides complete their home-and-home series on Sunday, when the Rangers host the Cardinals at 4 p.m. in Baldwin Gym.
