FARMVILLE, Va. – In a season-high 32 minutes of action, Longwood sophomore forward Dayna Rouse and junior Kristina Antonenko each finished with near double-double performances that was negated by a combined 26 points from Norfolk State's Kayla Roberts and Alexys Long, as the Spartans earned a 64-45 win 2017 portion of the slate Saturday inside Willett Hall.
Rouse led a trio of Lancers (2-9) in double figures as junior Kristina Antonenko finished with 11 points and eight rebounds while sophomore Kate Spradlin scored a team-high 13 points behind three long-range baskets. Her performance was negated by Roberts' 14 points, along with 12 from Long, who helped the Spartans pull away from a Longwood team that was playing its second game in three days after an eight-day layoff over the holiday break.
"I saw some encouraging signs today," said Longwood head coach
Bill Reinson. "Our defense and rebounding continue to get better. The ladies have really focused on improving in those areas. We're not there yet, but it gets better every day."
The Spartans also turned in a stingy defensive performance paced by Khadedra Croker with a three-block day to help stymie the Lancers to .271 shooting from the floor to mark
"Offensively, we still have a lot of work to do," Reinson said. "We had a lot of good looks that didn't fall but we also need to be more efficient."
Roberts paced the Spartan offense scoring eight of her 14 points in the third quarter and helping Norfolk State (7-5) pull away increasing its 12 point halftime lead to 19 points at the end of the third quarter. She finished the day 5-of-12 from the floor, adding four rebounds, two steals and an assist in 25 minutes on the court.
Rouse has seen her confidence grow in each of Longwood's past three games highlighted by Saturday's near double-double performance – her first game in double figures this season. Rouse stuffed the stat sheet throughout the afternoon, finishing with 12 points, eight rebounds and a career-high three blocks in 32 minutes off the bench.
In Longwood's last three games the 6-0 Pittsburgh, Pa., product has averaged 9.3 points per game and has been the team's second leading scorer in that time span.
"It was good to see Dayna Rouse play more like Dayna Rouse," Reinson said. "She was a little passive early in the game, but was much more aggressive as the game progressed. It's been a long road back for her. She's feeling and playing better and I couldn't be happier for her."
Antonenko has posted a near double-double in back-to-back games coming off a nine-point, eight rebound effort Thursday night against George Mason. Coming into Saturday ranked sixth in the Big South in field goal percentage, Antonenko finished the afternoon 3-of-8 from the floor and a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.
Meanwhile Spradlin had her top performance of the season with a season-high 13 points on three made three-pointers. That performance marked the fifth time in her career that she has finished a game with at least three triples, including the first time this season. The 13-point effort was the third time that the Blue Ridge, Va., product has finished in double figures, as she added three rebounds and a steal in 34 minutes.
Ciarah Bennett came off the bench to score three points while collecting three rebounds and an assist in 11 minutes.
"Ciarah Bennett played very well in the first half before getting into foul trouble," Reinson said. "She's been very good in practice recently and I think she's right on the verge of turning a corner."
With the conclusion of non-conference play, the Lancers open the Big South portion of the schedule Tuesday, Jan. 2 at Charleston Southern. That game is set for a 7 p.m. opening tip from the Buc Dome in Charleston S.C.
"I look forward to the trip to Charleston on Tuesday and am excited for conference play to begin," Reinson said.
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