Eastern Mennonite's women found out just how much good three point shooting can help, as they shot a season-low 13% from outside in a 70-65 non-conference loss at The Apprentice School Saturday afternoon.  Even though the defeat to the USCAA team shouldn't hurt the Royals in any regional ranking considerations, the loss still smarts as the women head into a 17-day break for Christmas.

EMU, now 6-2, is off until playing at regional power Christopher Newport on Dec. 30.  The Royals had a six-game winning streak snapped against The Apprentice School, with their eight-game first half schedule bookended with losses.

Usually sure-footed from three, Eastern Mennonite entered the game with a 41.7% clip from three point range.  They missed their first three attempts from outside against the Builders, however, and never led.  Sa'Mone Moore (Covington, Va./Covington) canned the women's first triple to tie the score at 11-11 just 4:22 into play.  That turned out to be the last EMU three pointer until the final minute and the last time The Apprentice School did not lead.

The home team then surged ahead 23-15.  The Royals got within 28-27, but the Builders used a 9-0 run to springboard into a 41-32 lead at halftime.

A continual stream of turnovers kept EMU from getting any closer until Nora Osei (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) and Shakeerah Sykes (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) scored all the points in an 8-0 run to slice the lead to 62-59 with 3:19 remaining.

Alisa Brown (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) canned a triple with 1:03 left to get the women within two at 64-62.  But the Builders hit all six of their free throws in the final 50 ticks to ice the decision, 70-65.

Neither team shot well.  EMU finished at 36.9%, including 2-15 from outside, while The Apprentice School was at 37.5% and 5-18 from long range.  The Royals grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and had a massive 59-33 domination of the boards, but shot themselves in the foot in two areas.  They were just 15-26 from the free throw line for 57.7% and were -13 in the turnover margin, 24-11.

Individually, Sykes had one of the best games of her career with 25 points and 16 rebounds.  Jess Rheinheimer (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) added 14 points and nine rebounds.  Osei had just the second double digit scoring effort of her four years, charting 12 points and eight rebounds.

EMU got little from the rest of their roster, however, which contributed only 14 points and 19 turnovers.  Sharp shooter Marla zumFelde (Goshen, Ind./Bethany Christian) missed the game with an injury.

Courtney White led four Builders in double figures with 18 points and seven rebounds.  Kenya Wilkerson had 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists and five steals.