YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – In a battle for the seventh spot in the Peach Belt Conference standings Clayton State (9-11, 6-8 PBC) overcame offensive difficulties to come out on top, 61-57, over Young Harris (8-13, 5-9 PBC)  in an NCAA Division II women's basketball game on Wednesday, January 31.
 
Freshman guard Tatiana Foster (Atlanta, Ga.) obliterated her career-high with 22 points, tied her career mark of six steals for the fifth time this season and added four assists in 31 minutes of action.
 
Junior center Aleisha Merriweather (Augusta, Ga.) manned the boards and came away with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds and junior forward Abreyln Rackley (St. Louis, Mo.) finished with 11 points, three steals, four caroms and three assists. Junior forward Jhade Hayes (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) added six points and eight boards while junior forward Velencia Johnson (Hoover, Ala.) chipped in with eight points.
 
The Mountain Lions would take an early 6-2 lead by the 8:01 mark before both teams went cold, going scoreless over the next 2:44. Out of that drought, Clayton State scored six of the next nine points to cut it to 9-8 with 2:52 on the clock before YHC closed the frame with a 14-10 advantage.
 
It would be another low scoring quarter as the teams combined for just 17 points in the second. After not scoring for the final 1:12 of the opening stanza that dry spell would stretch to 2:48 before a 7-2 run by the Lakers gave them a narrow 17-16 lead with 3:32 left in the half.
 
Nearly a minute and a half later a jumper by Briana Bell put Young Harris back up by one but a pair of free throws by Merriweather made it 19-18. Following another drought to close the quarter, Clayton State would take that margin to the break.
 
Out of the half the teams would deadlock twice, the last coming at 24-24 just 1:57 into the third. From there, eight points from Foster would help fuel a 14-2 explosion by the Lakers that vaulted them to a 38-26 advantage by the 1:02 mark.
 
After closing the period up 38-29, the Lakers extended to a 45-33 margin with three minutes gone by in the fourth quarter. Five points from the Mountain Lions' Sarah Garner as part of 10 unanswered then cut it to 45-43 with 4:03 remaining.
 
YHC would keep it close at 50-48 with just under three minutes left and yet another scoreless stretch for both clubs would leave that score on the board until a lone free throw off a technical by Bell sliced it to one with 1:39 left.
 
Having nearly seen their lead completely disappear, Clayton State came away with a steal and Rackley drained a three at the other end before Merriweather followed with a board and a layup for a 55-49 lead with 47 seconds to play. The margin would grow to seven points, 57-50, before the Lakers held off a late charge and secured the 61-57 victory.
 
Ashlyn Ellison led the Mountain Lions with 12 points, eight assists and six rebounds while Garner came up just shy of a double-double with eight points and 10 boards. Bell added 11 points and three steals and Eryn Cochran had 10 points and five caroms. Ge'Naisha Robinson chipped in with eight points and Sara Jorgensen rounded things out with six assists.
 
The Lakers return home to begin a brief two game homestand as they host Francis Marion on Saturday, February 3. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. at The Loch.
 
NOTES
Foster's previous career-high was 14 points at Georgia College (1/10/18) … she last tied her personal best of six steals at Francis Marion (1/6/18).