Lady Flames Game Summaries 2012-2013

Welch College 30, Grace Bible College 64

The Lady Flames played their final game of the semester at home on Saturday, December 8, against the Lady Tigers of Grace Bible College. It was a tough day for the Flames who struggled on both sides of the ball.

Despite a difficult first half, the Lady Flames found themselves down by only nine at halftime.

Unfortunately, their shooting woes continued in the second half, and they were unable to slow the Lady Tigers’ potent offense.

With 14:25 left on the clock, the Lady Flames were able to cut the lead to 11. However, Lady Tigers pulled away and never looked back as the Flames dropped their final game of the first semester 30 – 64.

Katie Bryan led the Flames with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals.

Welch College 47, Bryan College JV 40

The Lady Flames hosted the Bryan College Lady Lions on Tuesday night, December 4. After a strong first-half performance, the Lady Flames went into the locker room with a 21 – 14 lead.

The second half saw the Lady Flames pick up right where they left off in the first. With 13:16 left on the clock, the Flames held their largest lead of the night at 32 – 20.

The Lady Lions, however, would not go away quietly. After a five-minute span during which the Lions were able to force several turnovers, the Lady Flames held tightly to a one point with less than three minutes to play.

The Lady Flames regained their composure, and after two big defensive stops, Leslie Nichols scored on consecutive trips down the floor to put the Flames up 45 – 40 with less than a minute on the clock.

After one final stop, and two clutch free throws by Taylor Ford, the Lady Flames were able to seal the 47 – 40 victory.

“We played well today,” said Flames’ coach Larry Bryan. “I was pleased with the way we executed our offenses and our defense was solid the entire game.”

Leslie Nichols led the Lady Flames in scoring with 16 points and pulled down 9 boards. Katie Bryan had 11 rebounds and 6 assists to go along with her 8 points.

As a team, the Lady Flames out rebounded the Lady Lions 55 – 33 with 22 coming off the offensive glass.

Welch College 57, Covenant College JV 52

The Lady Flames were at home Friday night, November 30, as they hosted the Lady Scots of Covenant College.

The first half was an exciting one. Leslie Nichols dominated the post, shooting 4/7 from the field to lead the Flames with eight points at the break. The Lady Flames went into the locker room with a 31 – 27 lead.

The second half saw scoring runs and droughts for both teams. The Lady Flames found themselves up 38 – 34 with 12:40 left after a 15-footer by Celeste Ford. A quick, two-minute run extended the Flames’ lead to ten with 10:15 left to play.

The Scots righted themselves and put together a 7 – 0 run of their own, spanning the next two minutes to make the score 44 – 41 Flames.

With 5:10 left to play, the Lady Scots gained control of the lead for the first time since early in the first half.

But the Flames refused to give up the lead for long as Katie Bryan took advantage of a one-and-one, hitting both shots and putting the Flames up 48 – 47 with 4:23 on the clock. A quick steal by Bryan led to a fast break layup for Jessie Melvin giving the Lady Flames a three-point lead with a little over four minutes left to play.

The teams traded baskets over the next two minutes.

In the final minutes of the game, the Lady Flames hit big free throws to seal the 57 – 52 win.

Katie Bryan led the Lady Flames in scoring with 16. She also had six rebounds and seven steals in the second half alone. Jessie Melvin and Emily Whitworth added 11 and nine points, respectively.

“We put forth the effort needed to win,” Lady Flames Head Coach Larry Bryan said. “We dove for loose balls and made pressure free throws. It was satisfying to see us regain our composure after losing the lead and be able to carry that composure through to the end.”

Welch College 31, Sewanee 59

The Lady Flames went on the road Thursday, November 15, to play the Tigers of Sewanee University. The Lady Flames got off to a slow start and were never able to recover. While they found some success scoring in the paint, the Lady Flames were unable to keep up with Sewanee’s stellar thee-point shooting (11 – 28 from beyond the arc). Ultimately, Sewanee was able to pull away, beating the Lady Flames 59 – 31.

“Once again, we played much better in the second half; we just need to put together two good halves,” Lady Flames Head Coach Larry Bryan said. “We must learn to play physical and be stronger with the ball in order to compete with tough, athletic teams.”

Katie Bryan led the team with 11 points and dished out six assists. Taylor Ford added ten points, and Emily Whitworth and Jessie Melvin each had 6 boards.

Welch College 33, Mid-Continent University 63

The Lady Flames traveled to Mayfield, Kentucky on Monday, November 12, to face the Lady Cougars of Mid-Continent University. The Lady Flames had trouble with the Cougars’ trapping full-court pressure defense and were forced into turnovers throughout the first half.

The Lady Flames came out of the intermission a different team, displaying much more confidence on both ends of the floor. They were able to handle the Cougars’ tough defense, allowing them to run their offenses more effectively. However, they were unable to overcome the large first-half deficit, losing to Mid-Continent University 63 – 33.

“They were clearly the most athletic team we have played this year,” Lady Flames Head Coach Larry Bryan said. “We struggled against their pressure defense and had too many turnovers. We were able to settle down and execute better in the second half.”

Katie Bryan led the Lady Flames in scoring with 10. Taylor Ford added eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Welch College 56, Piedmont International University 43

The Lady Flames faced Piedmont International University at home Saturday, November 10. Taking to heart lessons learned in their previous game, the Lady Flames played under control and did the little things needed win, beating the Bruins 56 – 43.

“We competed for the full 40 minutes today,” Lady Flames Head Coach Larry Bryan said. “Several players were playing through injuries, and everyone put forth outstanding effort. I couldn’t be prouder.”

Even with her challenging defensive assignment, Jessie Melvin was able to lead the Lady Flames in scoring with 19. Katie Bryan and Taylor Ford also scored double figures with 14 and 13, respectively.

Welch College 42, Warren Wilson College 64

The Lady Flames opened their season Friday night, November 9, at home against the Owls of Warren Wilson College. The Flames came out strong in the first half. However, thanks to their depth and athleticism, the Owls were able to pull away in the second half, beating the Lady Flames 64 – 42.

“At this point in the season, we are still dealing with a learning curve,” Lady Flames Head Coach Larry Bryan said. “We showed plenty of effort. We just were unable to sustain it in the second half.”

Rachel Burns led the Flames with nine points, and Katie Bryan added 8.

Lady Flames 2012-2013 Basketball Season Preview

NASHVILLE, TN—The Lady Flames of Welch College look forward to the 2012-1013 season. After a year plagued with injuries, the Flames intend to bounce back with a balance of experienced returning players and talented freshmen.

Taylor Ford and Katie Bryan, both of whom ended the previous season early with knee injuries, are returning for the Flames. Also returning are Rachel Burns and Emily Whitworth. Coach Bryan said, “These ladies provide experience and leadership for the team, and will key any success we have this season.”

The Lady Flames veterans are joined by five freshmen: Jessie Melvin, Emily Thrasher, Hannah Driggers, Leslie Nichols, and Victoria Bell.

Jessie Melvin, a 5’6” guard/forward from Mount Juliet, Tennessee, attended Mount Juliet Christian Academy. She was a three-sport starter in basketball, softball, and soccer. Jessie will provide the Lady Flames with experience and versatility.

Leslie Nichols, a 6’1” center, is also from Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, and attended Mount Juliet High School. While she did not play varsity, Leslie has the height and athleticism to become an immediate threat in the paint and will be key in defending the post.

Victoria Bell, a 5’1” guard from Lexington, North Carolina, is athletic and optimistic about her first season.

Hannah Driggers, a 5’6” guard, from Scranton, South Carolina, played for Maranatha Christian School. Hannah is currently on the mend after injuring her foot during volleyball season. However, she has seen significant improvement and expects to play in the season opener.

Emily Thrasher is from Warren, Michigan, where she attended Southfield Christian High School. Emily is an aggressive defender and will provide the Flames with another playmaker on offense.

“All the girls can knock down open shots, and we are encouraging them to look to score,” Coach Bryan said. “The keys to our success this season will be taking care of the basketball, rebounding, and defense,” he added.

While the Lady Flames have experienced a few pre-season injuries, they expect to be at full strength for their November 9 season opener.