Lady Lancers Struggling on the Boards

Rebounding was the main topic of discussion at halftime on Tuesday night for the Lady Lancers basketball team when they played Newark's West Side at home.

The Livingston girls basketball team was getting hurt under the boards in the first half.

"All we talked about at halftime was rebounding," said captain Natalie Cohen.

Although they improved on that, they ultimately fell 43-40.  It was another close loss in a season of tight defeats; the Lady Lancers now stand at a record of 1-10.

West Side's Asia Manias and Brianna Ward outsized the Lancers, who were playing without top inside player Jamie Hawkins, who twisted her ankle last week.

"She's our main girl inside," said Cohen, who noted that Hawkins could be back later this week.

Bri Padilla and Becky Knopf just did not have the size to take on the inside players for West Side.

"They were just bigger than us," said Cohen, but who also added that "I think we just showed that we can outwork them and have the heart and the emotions in the game."

After being down 22-14 at halftime, Livingston did a better job on the boards and also hitting more shots.

Becky Knopf led the way with seven of her 17 points — a team-high— at the start of the second half.  Sydney Friedman added five points for the Lancers.

A pass from Padilla to Knopf inside gave the Lancers a 27-26 lead with a little more than two minutes in the third quarter.

It was the first lead of the game for Livingston, but it was short lived as West Side's Takada Ford drained a shot to gave the Roughriders the lead again, this time at 28-27.

The Lancers did not regain the lead the rest of the game.  Yet, at several other times they were within a point or two from regaining the lead.

Knopf scored on a layup with 30 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to cut the West Side lead to two points, 42-40.

The Lady Lancers were still a three-point shot away to tie the game with 20 seconds remaining after West Side's Valencia Epps only hit one-of-two from the free throw line.

But Livingston's trips down the floor came up short.

The Lady Lancers look to get a second win of the season on Thursday when they travel to Newark's Science Park.