Box Score
LAKELAND - Florida Southern opened the second half of Sunshine State Conference play here Saturday evening at Jenkins Field House with a 65-57 setback to Lynn.
With the loss, FSC falls to 8-11 overall and 2-7 in the SSC, while Lynn improved to 13-6 and 6-3 in the league standings.
The Moccasins led 34-27 early in the second half, but watched that lead evaporate over a span of nearly eight minutes as the Fighting Knights went on a 24-4 run to take a 51-38 lead with 7:42 left in the game.
FSC, though, battled back as they used an 11-2 run to pull within 53-49 following a three-pointer by senior guard/forward Tracy Fosterling (Albuquerque, N.M.) with 4:23 left in the game. Fosterling scored seven of her season-high tying 14 points during the run.
The Mocs wouldn't get any closer than four points as Lynn answered the Mocs run with a 12-6 run of its own to extend its lead to 65-55 with 12 seconds left in the contest. Fosterling completed the game's scoring on a jumper with five seconds remaining.
In addition to Fosterling, senior forward Alexis Hochstetler (Sarasota, Fla.) also matched her season high with 14 points in the loss. The third Moc in double figures was senior forward Kirstin McIntyre (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.), who finished with 10 points on the night. Senior guard Melanie Ducott (North Lauderdale, Fla.) added nine points, five assists and three boards.
Kira Harvey led the Fighting Knights with a game-high 16 points, while Tifani Kerrison added 15 points and five steals and Charla Nelson-James had 12 points in the win.
In the first half, neither team was able to get much going offensively as the two teams combined to shoot 17-for-52 from the field and commit a combined 25 turnovers.
The Mocs held a 13-9 lead with 9:18 left in the opening half, but Lynn, who snapped a five-game losing skid against the Mocs with Saturday's victory, used a 12-7 run to close the half and lead 21-20 at halftime.
For the game, the Mocs shot 38 percent from the field and 23 percent from the 3-point line, while Lynn shot 46 percent from the field and 29 percent from the 3-point line.
Both teams were strong from the foul line as FSC shot 70 percent (14-for-20) and Lynn shot 73 percent (11-for-15) at the line.
The Mocs held a 35-34 edge on the glass, but committed 24 turnovers that led to 24 points for the Fighting Knights. LU had 21 turnovers on the night.
FSC will look to snap its four-game losing skid on Wednesday, Feb. 6 as they travel to Miami Shores to face Barry (10-8, 2-7 SSC) in a 5:30 p.m. SSC contest. The Mocs picked up a 47-44 win over the Buccaneers in Lakeland on Jan. 5.
