WEST POINT, Ga.— On Monday afternoon in West Point, Ga., the Montreat women's basketball team aimed for its second Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) upset bid in three days. Despite a valiant effort, the Cavaliers couldn't outlast the Point University Skyhawks, falling 72-63. The defeat dropped the Cavs to 11-11 (8-9 AAC) on the season.
 
After a slow shooting start in which both teams combined to make two of their 14 field goal attempts, Jessyka Leak and Caleigh Raby started to find their scoring groove. A Leak 3-pointer gave the Cavs their first lead of the contest at 5-4, and Raby converted two steals into easy fastbreak layups on the other end. Leak and Raby combined to score the first 13 points for the Cavaliers. Only a Tatiyana Cannon triple to end the first quarter ended the Leak-Raby streak, as the Cavs trailed 17-16 through 10 minutes of play.
 
Montreat controlled the tempo in the second quarter and was the more aggressive side, attacking the basket to free up jump shooters and get to the free throw line. Leak and Destiny Lewis combined for three 3-point makes in the second quarter, while the team as a whole earned its way to the charity stripe eight times. The Cavaliers outscored Point, 20-14, in the second quarter to enter the halftime break leading by five, 36-31.
 
Both teams hit 12 shots from the field in the first half, with Point taking two more attempts overall (34-32). The biggest difference between the two sides came on points from behind the arc, as well as those off turnovers. Montreat was plus-12 from deep through 20 minutes, making five of its 12 looks compared to Point's one make on 12 takes. The Cavs also held a seven-point edge (9-2) in points off turnovers through two quarters. Leak was the only player for either side to reach double figures in scoring, pouring in 15 points. Lewis contributed in numerous areas for the Cavs, scoring five points, dishing out five assists and hauling in three boards.
 
Point (17-3, 13-3 AAC) and Montreat each connected on three of their first six shots attempts to start the third quarter. The longball continued to be a friend of the Cavaliers early in the frame, as Cannon buried a 3-pointer to give the Cavs their largest lead of the game, 47-38; however, it didn't take the hosts long to answer. The Skyhawks stepped up their defensive effort and forced twice as many turnovers in the third quarter (8) as they did in the first half (4). Those stops translated to easy buckets, sparking a 10-0 run that put Point back on top. A late Raby basket with less than 30 seconds remaining in the frame inched the Cavaliers ahead entering the final quarter, 49-48.
 
Raby and Lewis opened the fourth quarter for the Cavs with a 3-pointer and a transition layup, establishing a 54-50 Montreat advantage. Despite the early blows, the hosts weren't fazed. Point, who had made just one 3-pointer through three quarters of play, drilled three triples in less than five minutes to jump ahead, 61-57, their largest lead since 17-13 in the first quarter. Leak quickly closed the gap to 61-60 with a three-point play, but the Skyhawks played stout defense down the stretch and outscored the Cavaliers by eight (11-3) over the final four minutes. Point ultimately survived the Montreat upset bid, 72-63.
 
Point managed to close on the gap on Montreat's two biggest advantages in the first half: points off turnovers and made 3-pointers. Montreat turned the ball over 11 times in the second half, translating directly to 12 Skyhawk points. The Skyhawks also managed to match the Cavaliers in made 3-pointers in the second half with three. Overall, the Skyhawks shot 40.6 percent (28-69 FG), while the Cavaliers went 23-of-58 (39.7 percent) from the floor. The Cavs did hold the edge in 3-point percentage, making 36.4 percent (8-22 3pt FG) of its triples compared to Point's 16.7 percent (4-24 3pt FG).
 
Thanks to her 14-point second-half effort, Raby paced all scorers on the afternoon with 20 points. Leak ended with 18 points and led the Cavs with eight rebounds. Lewis joined her teammates in double figures with 12 points. She also handed out six assists and tallied five boards.
 
The Montreat women's basketball team stays on the road this Thursday for an AAC matchup at Union College. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in Barbourville, Ky.