ROME, Ga. – The University of Montevallo women's basketball team fell to Shorter University 65-62 in its season opener on the road Nov. 13.
Junior Taylor Beverly, a preseason All-Peach Belt Conference selection, led the Falcons with 24 points and 15 rebounds as she posted the 15th double-double of her career. Brown finished 7-of-18 from the floor and 10-of-10 at the charity stripe against the Hawks.
Senior Shay Bonner added 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, including 1-of-1 from beyond the arc. Bonner finished 5-of-9 at the free-throw line.
Sophomore Jacquelyn Thompson contributed 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc. Junior Carrington Caise finished with eight points to go along with a team-high five assists.
Sophomores Katie Colson, who grabbed 11 rebounds and finished with three assists, and Jasmine Thomas chipped in two points each.
After Shorter opened the game with a 4-0 run, the Falcons responded with a 16-5 run to take a 16-9 lead following a free throw by Colson with 11:02 remaining in the half.
The Falcons again led by seven points following a 3-pointer by Thompson with 7:09 left in the first half, which gave Montevallo a 20-13 advantage.
The Falcons took their largest lead in the game after another 3-pointer by Thompson, which put Montevallo ahead 25-16, with 4:28 remaining in the opening half. Shorter closed the half with a 8-2 run to cut the Falcons' lead to 27-24 heading into the locker room at halftime.
A 3-pointer by Thompson with 18:28 remaining in the game gave the Falcons a 32-27 lead. The Hawks quickly eliminated the five-point lead and neither team led by two possessions until a layup by Shaundrika Mann with three minutes left in the game gave Shorter University a 60-54 lead.
Montevallo trimmed the Hawks' lead to 63-62 following a free throw by Colson with 59 seconds left in the game, but the Falcons couldn't take back the lead in the final minute.
The Falcons return to action Saturday, Nov. 16 with a non-conference game at home against UAH. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m.
The team will host a meet-and-greet autograph session before the game at Trustmark Arena, allowing fans a chance to get to know their favorite players.
