ASHLAND, Va. – Despite a late rally, the Pride women's basketball team dropped its first game of the New Year to the Yellow Jackets of Randolph Macon Sunday, 80-70.
 
The Pride (5-5) quickly jumped out to a narrow lead before the Yellow Jackets (6-4) raced out in front 16-6, following a 15-2 run.
 
RMC then maintained its double digit lead until Greensboro cut the deficit to 38-30 heading into the intermission period, following back-to-back baskets by Courtney Pearsal and Alexis Hite.
 
The Yellow Jackets then pulled away in the third period, but the Pride used a 10-0 run to pull within 74-62 early in the fourth segment but could not get any closer. Bryanna Stanton and Hite each accounted for four points during the spurt, while Monica Smalls added the other two points.
 
"I am proud of the girls for not giving up," Head Coach Randy Tuggle said. "After being without some of our players, a lot of new players got chances against a good Randolph Macon team. I believe that we will be ok in the long run because we are seeing that we can go deep into our lineup."
 
Hite finished the game with a team-high 18 points, while Kamerin Williams (12), Pearsal (16), and Stanton (16) also recorded double digits. Williams pulled down a team-leading nine rebounds with Smalls adding seven boards of her own.
 
The Pride will return to action Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. against Johnson & Wales in Charlotte, N.C. For more information on the Pride women's basketball team, continue to follow www.greensborocollegesports.com.