After wrapping up 2020 with straight losses on Dec. 20 to Virginia Commonwealth University and Dec. 22 to Howard University, the women’s basketball team started off the new year on a good note as it added another win to its 5-3 record.
The Spiders defeated the St. Bonaventure Bonnies 59-58 on Jan. 8, in a game that came down to the wire.
In the first quarter, the Spiders made seven of their 13 field goal attempts and knocked down five free throws to take an early 19-12 lead.
At the start of the second quarter, after layups from junior guard Kate Klimkiewicz and first-year guard Siobhan Ryan, the Spiders took an 11-point lead with 8:25 to play.
With eight minutes left until halftime, the Bonnies went on a 6-0 scoring run for over three minutes and were able to close the gap to make it a 25-18 match. At the end of the quarter, the Spiders led 32-26.
In the third quarter, the Spiders broke away from the Bonnies, and when the buzzer went off the Spiders led 47-37.
Although the Spiders were outscored in the fourth quarter 21-12, they pulled off the win after clutch jumpers from first-year guards Siobhan Ryan and Grace Townsend, followed by a clutch free throw by Townsend that sealed the deal.
Klimkiewicz played a pivotal role in Friday’s win. She ended the night with an 18-point, nine-rebound, and four-steal performance.
Junior guard Claire Holt finished the game with 12 points, going 2-5 from downtown, and first-year forward Addie Budnik added on to the points and rebounds with 12 points and six rebounds, four of them coming on the defensive end.
Although they only shot 21.1% from three-point range, the Spiders dominated in the paint, scoring 34 points and going 21-54 from the field overall.
As of Jan. 12, the team is 5-3 overall on the season and 2-1 in Atlantic 10 play, with an 80-78 win against the Duquesne Dukes on Jan. 10.
Contact sports writer Anabella Pelaez at anabella.pelaez@richmond.edu.
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