FARMVILLE, Va. (Dec. 13, 2017) â€" After registering her 1,000th career point in the most recent game, junior Sarah Robinson posted game highs of 23 points and 17 rebounds, but the Milligan College women's basketball team fell to NCAA Division I institution Longwood University, 66-56, Wednesday afternoon in an exhibition contest.
 
Milligan led big in the first half and still had the lead late in the second half but a decisive run midway through the fourth quarter helped the Lancers earn the victory.
 
MILLIGAN'S STRONG FIRST HALF
Milligan started the game hot, scoring the first 10 points before opening up its largest lead of the half at 19-5 with just over three minutes left in the first quarter. The Buffaloes hit five 3-pointers during the opening stretch, including triples on back-to-back-to-back possessions to go on a 9-3 run midway through the quarter.
 
Milligan led 21-14 after 10 minutes and continued its offensive efficiency over the next 10 minutes despite playing close to even with Longwood in the second quarter. The Lancers, who outscored Milligan 20-19 in the final 10 minutes of the first half, managed to cut Milligan's lead to five, 21-16, on the opening possession of the second quarter and again to five, 39-34, in the final minute before the halftime break.
 
The two teams went into the halftime locker room with Milligan ahead 40-34.
 
LONGWOOD'S STRONG SECOND HALF
Longwood, which snapped a four-game losing streak to improve to 2-6 this season, stepped up its defensive effort in the second half, limiting Milligan (6-7, 3-5 AAC) to seven points in the third quarter and nine points in the fourth quarter.
 
The Lancers earned the game's first tie at 47-47 when Autumn Childress made a five footer with 1:10 left in the third quarter, then the Lancers got their first lead with 5:04 left in regulation when Kate Spradlin connected for a three from the top of the key, making it 56-53.  
 
Spradlin's 3-pointer was part of a 16-1 Longwood run where the Lancers went ahead 65-54.
 
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Robinson scored 15 of her 23 points in the first half, connecting on 5-of-10 from the field for the game. Junior Cassidy Anderson was next in the scoring column with eight points while Mackenzie Raizor and Kaely Gose added seven apiece.
 
For Longwood, Childress led the way with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Casey Ripp scored 12 and Kristina Antonenko scored 11.
 
UP NEXT
Milligan will have a two-week break for Christmas before returning to action on Saturday, Dec. 30, for the final game of 2017. The Buffs will play at Georgetown College then return home for the opening game of 2018 versus Bryan College on Tuesday, Jan. 2.