ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Tuesday, March 4, 1997                 TAG: 9703040028
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: B-3  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: COLUMBUS, OHIO
SOURCE: Associated Press

COLUMBUS TAKES ABL SERIES LEAD

Tonya Edwards scored 26 points and made seven 3-point goals as the Columbus Quest defeated the Richmond Rage 90-89 Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series for the American Basketball League championship.

Nikki McCray added 20 points, Shannon Johnson 14 and Katie Smith and Andrea Lloyd each had 10 for the Quest.

Game 2 will be Tuesday at Columbus and the third game will be played March 8 at Richmond.

Richmond secured its first lead with 6:08 remaining in the fourth quarter when Taj McWilliams' layup made it 78-76. They extended to 80-76 on two free throws by Marta Sobral, but Edwards' 3-pointer gave Columbus the lead again, 84-82 with 4:14 to go.

McWilliams had 25 points for the Rage. Adrienne Goodson had 24, Sobral 17 and Dawn Staley 11.

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