The Lancaster Bible College women's basketball team dropped its eighth straight contest on Saturday afternoon, falling to Staten Island, 59-40 at Horst Athletic Center. The Chargers are now 2-9 overall, while the Dolphins improved to 8-2 this season.
 
How it Happened: Lancaster Bible jumped out to a 4-2 lead on buckets from junior Caitlin Hickey and senior Courtney Goyak, and after two free throws and a bucket by Staten Island, the Chargers re-took the lead, 7-6, thanks to a 3-pointer from Hickey.
 
That would be the second and final time the Chargers had the lead all day, as Staten Island answered with 7-0 run, and eventually led, 19-11 after 10 minutes of play. Lancaster Bible cut its deficit to three, 19-16, after a 5-0 run to open the second quarter, as freshman Hope Hodges had a jumper, and fellow freshman Mekenzie Smith drained a 3-pointer. The Chargers kept the deficit to single digits most of the second quarter, but then trailed 31-20 with 15 seconds to play after a bucket from Megan McEwan. Two late free throws from Goyak brought the Chargers back to within nine, 31-22, with a second to play in the half, and the teams went to the locker room a moment later.
 
The Chargers tried desperately to get back into the game early in the third quarter, but the Dolphins defense and timely shooting wouldn't allow it, and Staten Island grew the lead to 45-31 on a layup from Brianna Robisky with 1:42 remaining in the quarter.
 
Staten Island put the game away early in the fourth quarter and eventually led by as many as 21 late in the quarter, as Cristina Camerlengo hit a jumper with 1:28 to play.
 
By the Numbers: Lancaster Bible shot 30.2 percent (16-of-53) from the field, and just 18.8 percent (3-of-16) from 3-point range…The Dolphins shot 41.4 percent (24-of-58) from the field, though just 14.3 percent (1-of-7) from beyond the arc…Staten Island was 10-of-13 from the free throw line…Hickey had a team-high 15 points for the Chargers, while Goyak added nine points and grabbed 20 rebounds, including 13 offensive boards…Hope Hodges chipped in with six points, and Sonja Nelson added five points…Diana Todaro led four Staten Island players in double figures with 14 points.
 
The Coach Says: "We are trying to find the discipline in practice to where we are focused there, and then bring that into a game situation where we play good defense at one end, and then convert it into a great offensive possession where we get points," Lancaster Bible Head Coach Katelyn Vanderhoff said. "We are trying to connect the game together, and I think our young players are learning how to do that, and how difficult it can be. We get a bucket on a good offensive possession, but then don't get back on defense and give up an easy bucket, or we work hard to get a defensive board, but turn it over on the other end. That is what has hurt us during this losing streak."
 
Information Hodge Podge: The Chargers are now 0-2 all-time against Staten Island…The Dolphins defeated the Chargers, 79-60 last season on Staten Island…Lancaster Bible is now 2-6 at home this season…Goyak grabbed 20+ rebounds for the third time this season, and her 13 offensive boards are more than the entire team has had in five games this season…Lancaster Bible has shot over 45 percent from the floor just twice during its eight-game losing streak…The Chargers' two steals on Saturday were a season-low.
 
Up Next: Lancaster Bible returns to the court on Jan. 2, 2019 when they Chargers take on Dickinson at 5:30 p.m. in Carlisle, Pa.