MORRISTOWN, TN – Walters State led late but could not hold on Tuesday afternoon, falling to Spartanburg Methodist 63-57. 

With the loss, the Lady Senators drop to 7-4 on the season. 

"We have to come to play," Walters State coach Jasmin Coleman said. "There was no point in that game where we were able to run our offense and defend at the same time. We just couldn't get out of the funk. We have to get it into our top scorer (Kiera Hill). When you don't do that, you're going to have a hard time."

The Lady Senators were led by Kiera Hill with 26 points. Hill, who ranks 14th in the country in points per game with 18.4, scored 12 points in the third quarter to jump start the offense. 

However, she had just five points in the fourth quarter as the offense sputtered again. 

"We got it into her in that third quarter," Coleman said. "But we didn't continue to do that. You have to find a player like that because they weren't able to deal with her the entire game. We have to do a better job at that because Kiera is also the type of player that, if you give it to her, she's going to give it right back." 

Along with Hill, Ryann Woodley had 16 points, knocking down multiple timely buckets. Other scorers were Rose Morrow with one, Izarria Alexander with three, Vertonia Bady with three and Gemariona Hollingsworth with six. 

It looked like two opposite teams to start the game as Walters State went 2-6 from the free throw line while Spartanburg Methodist went 8-8. Luckily for the Lady Senators, Woodley hit two jumpers in the final minute of the quarter and trailed by just four, 16-12, after one.

In the second, the Lady Senators continued to struggle as Woodley tried to get them going with eight points. Hill had four in the quarter as well, but Spartanburg Methodist led 31-27 at the break.

The third quarter was all Hill as she scored 12 of the Lady Senators 18 points. Hill scored the first six points of the quarter to give Walters State a one-point lead.

Later in the quarter, Hill gave the Lady Senators the lead back at 40-39 with an and-one. Hill added three more points in the quarter, and a Woodley jumper gave the Lady Senators a one-point advantage heading to the final quarter.

In the fourth, it was Spartanburg Methodist who came out swinging as they built a 52-47 lead. The Lady Senators would respond, however, as they rallied off a 9-0 run. The run started with back-to-back baskets by Woodley. Then, Hill scored before Bady hit a 3-pointer that made it 56-52 in favor of Walters State.

Unfortunately for the Lady Senators though, Spartanburg Methodist scored the next six points to regain the lead and then scored the last five as they rallied past Walters State.

UP NEXT:

Walters State will be back in action on Friday as they travel to Tuscaloosa, AL to take on Wallace State. Tip is set for 5 p.m. 

"We're going to get back after it tomorrow," Coleman said. "It's tough playing down there. I hate the loss today, but I am glad we got to play (after 10 days off). Hopefully, we can build from this and understand the things you have to do to be able to win games." 

Rob Harvey

Walters State Community College

Sports Information Director

Cell: (423) 779-8880

Email: sportsinfo@ws.edu

Website: www.ws.edu/athletics