BUIES CREEK, N.C. — William & Mary dropped a heartbreaker at Campbell, 45-43, in a game that saw nine lead changes and nine ties on Sunday afternoon at the John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center.
The first quarter was a tightly contested defensive affair with both teams exchanging leads and maintaining a neck-and-neck pace.
Cassidy Geddes opened the scoring for W&M (8-7, 1-3 CAA) with a jumper, setting an early tone.
Natalie Fox contributed significantly with a layup at 7:06, assisted by
Monet Dance. Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm as it was tied 7-7 tie at the end of the frame. W&M capitalized on second-chance opportunities, grabbing six offensive rebounds, which helped them maintain their position despite turnovers.
In the second quarter, the Green and Gold initially surged ahead with key plays by
Kyah Smith and
Amelia Basit, who capitalized on offensive rebounds to establish an 11-7 lead. Despite these efforts, the Fighting Camels (10-7, 3-1) responded with a 10-0 run, highlighted by a fast-break 3-pointer that shifted the momentum. W&M managed to tie the game at 17 with 2:09 remaining, thanks to an assisted layup by
Alexa Mikeska following a steal by Smith. However, the Camels regained control in the closing minutes, and the quarter ended with W&M trailing 22-17.
The Tribe closed the gap significantly in the third quarter, highlighted by Geddes' pivotal 3-pointer at 7:46 that tied the score at 22. Despite Campbell's temporary lead with a layup by Jasmine Felton, W&M remained competitive with Geddes adding a crucial jumper at 2:20 to keep the contest close. The visitors' resilience was evident as
Marley Long's two free throws at 1:47 brought the score within striking distance. The quarter ended with the Tribe trailing narrowly, 32-31, heading into the final quarter.
W&M engaged in a tightly contested fourth quarter, with Geddes scoring a jumper at 9:34 to narrow the Camels' early lead. Fox's offensive rebound and subsequent tip-in at 7:03 kept the visitors within reach. As the quarter advanced, Mikeska's layup at 5:16 put W&M ahead, 40-39. Despite several lead changes, the Tribe regained a narrow advantage with Geddes' free throws at 6:19. However, Campbell responded, tying the score at 43 with just over two minutes remaining.
A final attempt by Geddes to secure a win with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds fell short, allowing Campbell to secure the narrow victory.
STAT NUGGETS
