LAKELAND, Fla. - Sydney Gomes hits a career-high of 25 points as Florida Southern College women's basketball drops the final game of the Sunshine State Conference and Gulf South Conference Crossover to RV Lee University 71-58 on Saturday afternoon.
The Moccasins (1-1, 0-0 SSC) were led by Gomes just shy of a double-double with 25 points and nine rebounds while
Sarah Lange finished with 11 points and
Reagan White came away with six boards. The Flames (2-0, 0-0 GSC) had four finish in double-digit scoring led by Mallory Hampton with 19 points, Mia Hurst off the bench with 13 points, Haylee Johnson with 11, and Addison Smith with 10.
Lee started aggressively, opening up with a 10-2 run as Hampton sank back-to-back three-pointers before the six-minute mark. Florida Southern rallied to get within six as Lange and Gomes hit two consecutive layups to cut the Flames lead in half 12-6. Lee answered back with two shots beyond the arc to get out to another double-figure lead with just under three remaining as time ran out in the first giving Lee a 23-9 advantage.
In the second quarter, the Flames continued their momentum with a 6-0 run, giving Lee a 20-point advantage before FSC could put any points on the board. With the Mocs down, 29-9, Gomes went on a 6-0 run and later sank both free throws to finish a hard quarter only scoring eight points, giving the Flames a 39-17 advantage heading into the third quarter.
Lee opened up the third quarter with a jumper to get out to the biggest lead of the game but Gomes sank a 3-pointer to cut the lead. The Mocs and Flames exchanged possessions as Lee led by 24 points on three separate occasions until
Arriyana Bracero hit a layup to try and start a comeback with 5:16 remaining in the quarter. FSC cut Lee's lead down to 14 as Lange, Gomes, and
Lily Randgaard all contributed to the Mocs coming with a 54-40 margin before a final made free throw to set up the fourth quarter with a 55-40 deference.
In the fourth quarter, FSC rallied to come within 13, the closest margin since the first quarter exchanging buckets with layups by Randgaard, Lange, and Gomes as the clock hit the 7:31 mark. Florida Southern continued to rally getting the Flames led back down to 13 once again but time ran out as Gomes hit the final layup to conclude the game with a 71-58 final to close out the SSC/GSC Crossover.
Florida Southern returns to Jenkins Field House on Wednesday, Nov. 13 as they open Sunshine State Conference action facing Eckerd. The tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
