ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 19, 1996 TAG: 9603190093
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NORFOLK
TYPE: NCAA WOMEN
SOURCE: Associated Press
A key steal by Ticha Penicheiro with 21/2 minutes to play Monday and a follow-up basket by Esther Benjamin stifled a late Toledo rally as Old Dominion held on for a 72-66 NCAA East Regional second-round victory.
The win puts the sixth-ranked Lady Monarchs (29-2) into a quarterfinal match Saturday against 11th-ranked Virginia in Charlottesville.
Before Penicheiro's steal, the Rockets (25-6) had cut a 21-point deficit to single digits in the final 10 minutes behind Kim D'Angelo and Heather Smith, who led an eight-point Toledo run.
The Rockets pulled close again in the final half-minute, but free throws by Benjamin, a senior reserve playing her final game at the Old Dominion Field House, kept the Lady Monarchs in front.
``I thought Toledo did an excellent job of attacking,'' said Old Dominion coach Wendy Larry. ``It's the first time we allowed an opponent to shoot 50 percent.''
Toledo coach Mark Ehlen said his team's second-half performance made him proud.
``They didn't give up,'' Ehlen said. ``I'm disappointed in the first half. I thought we were more a physical team in the second half and didn't back down.''
Benjamin and Clarisse Machanguana each scored 16 points for Old Dominion, and Penicheiro added 15. Benjamin led in rebounding with 10.
Toledo's Angela Drake led all scorers with 17 points. D'Angelo added 13.
The Rockets scored the game's first bucket but quickly fell behind as Old Dominion ran off 13 consecutive points. Despite 11 points from Drake by intermission, Toledo never could catch up.
The Lady Monarchs, meantime, set a blistering 58 percent shooting pace in the first half, then dropped to 33 percent in the second half while Toledo soared to 52 percent.
Old Dominion dominated in rebounding 40-30.
LENGTH: Short : 45 linesby CNB