Syquio leads Lady Ospreys to victory

Thursday, February 26

Nashville, Tenn.

6 p.m.

University of North Florida

Belmont University

Sophomore Juliemay Syquio set new career highs in three categories

2/26/2009 8:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball

UNF opened its season-ending weekend with a 57-47 win

By: Adam Jonson, UNF Athletics

Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Using blends of veteran leadership and youthful exuberance and perimeter performance and post presence along with a career night from sophomore Juliemay Syquio, the University of North Florida women's basketball team began its season-ending weekend with a 64-57 win at Belmont Thursday night.

"Everyone stepped up tonight and contributed something to this win," UNF head coach Mary Tappmeyer said. "Other than the first 10 minutes we played really well. I wish this wasn't the end of the season because we are really clicking and playing extremely well together."

The Lady Ospreys (8-20, 7-12 Atlantic Sun Conference) sputtered in the early going, facing a 15-point disadvantage a little more than 10 minutes into the game. The Burins (16-12, 11-8) held UNF scoreless for five minutes early in the game and went on a 9-0 run in that span to open a 14-4 lead before freshman Kayla Mobley swished a baseline jumper.

Jumpers from behind the arc highlighted the first half with both teams looking to the long-range shot for offensive production. Belmont knocked down four 3-balls in the first 10 minutes to build a 21-6 lead, but UNF came alive from 3-point land to net four during a 21-8 run that pulled it within two at 29-27 with a little more than two minutes until halftime.

Senior Jennifer Guldager scored her first two points of the game just after the two-minute mark to even things at 29-29. The first half came to a close with the teams trading buckets to push the score to 31-31. Freshman Kayla Mobley hit the final field goal of the half with 23 ticks on the clock.

"Kayla did a great job off the bench for us tonight," Tappmeyer said. "She hit some big shots in important spots. Finishing with 10 points and six rebounds in 15 minutes of action is pretty impressive."

The second half picked up where the first half left off when Syquio drained two shots from 3-point land, helping her set a new career high of 21 points on the night, and Belmont's Amber Rockwell responded with one of her own and a jumper just inside the arc.

"This was simply a huge game for Juliemay," Tappmeyer said. "She is getting more and more confident every time she steps on the floor. She creates scoring opportunities for herself as well as putting the ball in her teammates' hands when they are in a position to score."

Syquio sank a three and went coast-to-coast after a steal to score five straight points, breaking a 47-47 tie and giving the Lady Ospreys the lead with 7:30 left to play. Belmont used a 30-second timeout then responded with Rachel Swisher connecting from downtown and Rockwell hitting a pair of free ones to tie the game at 52-52 less than a minute later.

UNF's lead moved to five points with a little more than three minutes to play on a Syquio 3-pointer. Jessica Bobbitt flushed two free throws to make it a single possession game at 57-54 with 3:33 left to play. Junior Shennette Sheffield hit two important free throws with a little less than a minute and a half left to play to give the Lady Ospreys a 61-54 edge.

Swisher did just what her name implies with 50 seconds left to play, drilling a shot from behind the arc to pull the Bruins within four. Senior Jennifer Bowen connected on three clutch free throws in the final minute and Syquio picked up her fourth steal of the game with less than 30 seconds to play to seal the Lady Osprey victory.

In all, four Lady Ospreys scored in double digits with freshman Brittany Kirkland Bowen chipping in 10 points apiece. Guldager pulled down a team-best nine boards and had four points while junior Shennette Sheffield tallied six points and a block in 20 minutes of play.

"Sheff (Sheffield) played a huge role for us tonight, especially on the defensive end," Tappmeyer said. "Despite having only two rebounds, she did a great job of defending and frustrating (Jessica) Bobbitt in the post."

Bobbitt notched a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, but was held well under her conference top-10 scoring average. Rockwell finished with a team-best 19 points while LaWanna Holiday added 10 points.

Syquio finished with career highs in points, field goals (8) and 3-point field goals (5) while going for four steals and four assists.

The Lady Ospreys will go for the Nashville swing sweep Saturday at 1 p.m. when they take on Lipscomb to close the 2008-09 season.