HARRISONBURG, Va.- After a three-and-a-half-week hiatus for the holidays, EMU Women's Basketball opened up the spring semester by playing host to ODAC foe Hollins in Yoder Arena. The Royals put forth a good effort but could not completely shake off the rust from the long layoff, losing 81-65 to the Green and Gold.

Lauren Townsend, the sophomore point guard from nearby Elkton, had a breakthrough offensive performance, scoring 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field. That marked a new career scoring high for Townsend, topping her previous career best of 18 against Lynchburg on February 15, 2025. Anabelle Simmons, the first-year guard from Poquoson, also put up double figures with 11 points, also setting a career high.

For Hollins, Zaria Holden led the way with 26 points, followed by Jacorra Russell and Sarah Morales with 19 and 17 points, respectively.

Records: EMU 5-7, 0-3 ODAC | Hollins 10-2, 2-1 ODAC

Highlights
First Quarter
Hollins had a hot start, going on a 7-2 run over the first three minutes of the game. Jayda Jones stopped the Hollins rally with a three pointer at the 6:40 mark, while a Townsend driving layup tied the game at 7-7 with 5:49 left in the period. A Lexie Dingus jumper with 58 seconds left gave EMU a slight 13-12 edge going to the second quarter.

Second Quarter
The contest remained tight during the second quarter, with neither side holding a lead bigger than four throughout the frame. Trailing 17-13, the Royals went on a 7-0 run spanning 1:42 of game action. Dignus got things going with a driving layup, followed by a Jada Waller three-pointer and a Jones jumper to make it EMU 20, Hollins 17 with 5:18 left in the half. Tied a 29 apiece, Hollins reeled off four points in the final minute to lead the Royals 33-29 at the break.

Third Quarter
The game got away from EMU a bit in the third quarter. Morales scored the first four points of the period for Hollins as part of 6-2 run that got the Green and Gold up by eight. A separate 6-0 run extended Hollins' lead to double figures as they took a 60-46 lead into the final 10 minutes of play
 
Fourth Quarter
The Royals did not go down without a fight in the final period. EMU scored the first six points of the quarter on a Jazmyn Taylor free throw, a three-pointer by Townsend, and a Jeriyah Osborne floater. A 5-0 run that featured a traditional three-point play from Townsend and a Jones jumper got EMU with eight at 69-61 with 3:56 left. However, Hollins outscored EMU 12-4 the rest of the way to seal the win.

Statistical Leaders
Scoring: Townsend (24)
Rebounds: Dingus (6)
Assists: Simmons (2)
Steals: Osborne (3)
Blocks: Simmons (2)

What's Next
The Royals continue their ODAC gauntlet this Saturday, Jan. 10 with a road trip to Roanoke College. Opening tip from the Cregger Center in Salem is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

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