Women's Game Recaps #69 - 2/14/16

Posted: Feb 14, 2016
  • Saturday proved to be the day plenty of streaks were broken, with three of the teams atop regional divisions suffering losses. Indeed, there is plenty to recap and we start with yet another multiple overtime game…

 

  • Holy Family out-lasted Bloomfield in New Jersey to earn an 82-75 double overtime win, ending the Bears bid for a perfect CACC conference record. This one was a back-and-froth affair, sent to the extra frame by a Jill Conroy (20 points) basket with 17 seconds left for the Tigers (68-68). Bloomfield had led by as many as ten points (46-36) midway through the third period but watched HFU chip away and close the gap. The first OT was tight as well, with each team scoring only four points; Iman Williams’ free throw for BC tied matters in the final minute and ensured five more minutes. Holy Family scored the first eight points of the final frame (80-72) over a 4:38 span and that was that, the Tigers extending their winning streak to four games while ending BC’s at seven. Casey Thomas and Kelly Giedemann (14 points each) lent support for the Tigers, who shot 48% and made 16-20 at the line. Tianna Smith (28 points; 6-9 3FG) and Ariel Wilson (17 points, 7 assists, 6 boards, 5 steals) led the Bears attack as they shot 41% overall but went just 6-12 at the line. Bloomfield had already clinched the CACC North so their playoff seed is set; Holy Family, the only road winner in the CACC on Saturday, is still a game behind Philadelphia in the race for the CACC South top seed with three games to play.

 

  • Molloy dominated the fourth period and won at NYIT, 66-59, to extinguish the Bears bid for a perfect ECC record while also aiding their own playoff hopes immensely. NYIT was the better team in the first half (31-19 at the break) and led by a seemingly solid 45-28 count with 4:32 left in the third period. The Lions didn’t fade away; instead they ended the frame in a 13-3 burst to get their comeback going. A 15-2 explosion put the Lions into the lead for keeps with 3:20 to play in the fourth quarter (61-54), the surge fueled by a trio of Maggie Salomone (16 points; 4-6 3FG) triples. Shanice Allen’s trey drew NYIT within 63-59 with 1:16 to go but the Bears didn’t score again and saw their sixteen game win streak come to an end. Molloy received 47 points from the bench to lead their attack with Salomone, Kimani Jackson (21 points) and Aaliyah McDonald (10 points, 9 boards) doing the honors. Shannon Duer (12 points, 12 caroms) and Nina Vukosavljevic (12 points, 7 assists) keyed the Bears but despite that, and a 47-31 rebound advantage, it wasn’t their day. Molloy was +9 in turnovers in the win which puts them fifth in the ECC. NYIT, meanwhile, has a two-game lead atop the loop with four games left.

 

  • Five double digit scorers, 51% shooting and a 25-26 day at the line was enough to send Franklin Pierce to an 87-76 win over Bentley, snapping the Falcons eight-game win skein and virtually locking the Ravens into an NE-10 Northeast playoff spot. FPU led 64-61 after three closely contested periods but stretched the margin to 73-59 with 6:20 to play. The Falcons rallied and cut the deficit to 73-67 with an 8-0 blitz and came as close as five points (81-76) in the final minute before the Ravens dropped in six straight free throws to ice the result. Kara Charette (25 points) was the big gun for the winners while Jasmyne Fogle (19 points) and Natalie Bastian (14 points) also had strong games. Jen Gemma (21 points, 8 boards) topped a trio of Falcon double digit scorers but they shot 39% as a unit, not enough to overcome the Ravens hot hand(s). Bentley holds a two-game lead atop division despite the loss while Franklin Pierce is tied with Assumption for third place.

 

  • St. Thomas Aquinas claimed a low-scoring scrap with Roberts Wesleyan, 54-43, stopping two four-game streaks (RWC had won four in a row, STAC had lost four straight) and cluttering the ECC playoff race. Lucy Covley (12 points) started the game with a three-pointer for the Redhawks but the Spartans scored 18 of the last 20 points of the first period to snare control. RWC never really recovered, as STAC led at every checkpoint (18-5, 34-21, 43-30) on the way to victory. Jenna Erickson (23 points), Samantha Burden (12 points, 10 boards) and Alex Bertolino (10 points) topped the STAC offense while Samantha Courtney (9 points, 11 rebounds) was Covley’s best support for the Redhawks. Shooting totals were predictably drab (30%-21% in STAC’s favor), with RWC going 7-25 from three-point land and 4-28 inside the arc. The Spartans hold the final ECC playoff spot at the moment while Roberts Wesleyan sits in third place as the stretch run beckons.   

 

  • St. Michael’s rode a game-changing 18-0 explosion in the third quarter to bump St. Anselm, 63-60 and wipe out the Hawks nine-game win streak. St. A’s led 41-32 when the Purple Knights put together their run, turning the deficit into a 50-41 lead with 3:07 to play in the third period. The Hawks hung in it, though, and closed the gap to 60-58 thanks to a Caitlyn Abela (12 points) triple with 1:03 left. SMC held their nerve after both teams wasted their next possession, with Indira Evora (19 points) hitting two FT’s at the :10 mark to make it 62-58. Following a Candace Andrews (12 points, 7 assists, 6 boards) basket, Maddy Bennett sank a foul shot to create the final margin. Makenzie Burud (11 points) added depth for SMC, which shot better than St. Anselm (43%-38%) but still needs a lot of help to grab an NE-10 Northeast playoff spot. Samnell Vonleh (13 points, 12 boards) led the effort for the Hawks and they still have a two-game lead for second place in the division with three games left.

 

  • AIC proved to be the sole team among the NE-10 leaders to avoid the upset bug, rolling past Pace, 65-46. The game was mainly close for three periods, although the Yellow Jackets (who have already wrapped up the NE-10 Southwest title) were ahead most of the time. Holding a 52-46 lead early in the fourth period, AIC slammed the door shut by notching the final thirteen points, keeping the Setters scoreless for the final eight-plus minutes. Kamika Mason (17 points, 7 boards), Briana Bishop (16 points, 7 rebounds) and Dana Watts (12 points, 14 caroms) topped the stat sheet for AIC as they won the glass battle (43-33) and forced seven more miscues (20-13). Gabriella Rubin’s 17-point, 8-rebound outing sparked the Setters but they’ve lost seven in a row and are just about out of the NE-10 playoff picture.   

 

  • The other regional division leader to sidestep an upset was Philadelphia, which methodically beat Nyack, 75-62. The Rams won each quarter by single figures and steadily pushed their lead as the game went on, not allowing the Warriors to mount any kind of comeback. Rachel Day (24 points, 6-10 3FG) was Philadelphia’s main threat but Mary Newell (14 points, 9 boards) was among three others to reach double digits, so the Rams had plenty to work with. Raven Makins (19 points, 10 boards) provided the pop for Nyack but they were out-shot (42%-34%) and out-rebounded (46-36). Philadelphia’s win keeps them a step ahead of Holy Family in the CACC South race while Nyack can clinch a CACC North playoff bid with a win in any of their three remaining games.

 

  • Caldwell was the only CACC North team to prevail on Saturday as they led from start-to-finish in a 69-55 victory over Goldey-Beacom. The Cougars scored the first eight points, led at the half, 39-29, and kept the Lightning from getting any closer than eight points in the last period to extend their winning streak to eight games, the region’s best current mark. Kristen Drogsler (21 points, 10 boards) and Nicole Angelo (15 points) led the Caldwell attack as they made 10-26 from deep (GBC was 6-24) as a team and cut Bloomfield’s lead in the division to two games with two left. Lexi Bruno (23 points, 10 boards), Candice Berner (14 points) and Britani Bryson (11 points, 11 rebounds) were the offensive stars for Goldey-Beacom as they dropped to .500 in the CACC South, a game out of a playoff spot.

 

  • A grinder in Bridgeport saw the University of the District of Columbia claim a 67-56 ECC win over the host Purple Knights to keep hold of second place in the league. UB led 27-26 at the half but a late third period surge from the Firebirds (8-0) gave them a 43-40 edge at the end of the frame. UB came as close as a pair thereafter but UDC sank 8-9 at the line in the last quarter to stop any comeback hopes and drive Bridgeport out of the playoff places in the loop. Brandi Henton (17 points, 8 boards) and Iman Scott (13 points) topped the UDC effort as they flourished at the line (18-21; UB 7-14 FT). Aurelie Leblanc-Florent (18 points) was Bridgeport’s top scorer and they were the more productive three-point threat (9-1) on the day but it wasn’t enough to avoid a third straight defeat.

 

  • New Haven threw the NE-10 Southwest into turmoil (aside of the top and bottom teams) by dealing Adelphi a 59-47 loss in West Haven. The Chargers ruled the middle two periods (37-18 overall), ending each frame with a burst (13-3 in the second, 10-1 in the third), staking themselves to a 48-33 lead after three quarters. The Panthers had no answer and saw their four-game win streak end. Briana Bradford (24 points, 8 boards; 13-18 FT) and Lauren Hebert (19 points, 9 boards) led the UNH stat sheet, one that revealed huge differences on the glass (UNH 62-42), at the line (UNH 20-30; AU 11-16 FT) and in shooting (33%-21%). Sierra Clark’s 10-point, 8-rebound day led the Panthers. The result leaves the NE-10 Southwest’s middle five teams separated by just two games (four of them will make the playoffs).

 

  • Queens took control in the second half on the way to a 67-50 ECC win against LIU Post, keeping their fourth place status in the league intact. The Pioneers led at the break, 27-25, but the Knights put up a 12-0 third period run to take the lead for good, 37-29. Another 12-0 binge in the fourth quarter (55-35, 6:58) was icing on the cake for the Knights, denting the Pioneers playoff hopes in a big way. Madison Rowland (25 points, 13 boards) and Merrick Rowland (15 points) keyed the QC attack while Khea Gibbs (13 points, 6 rebounds) was LIU Post’s best bet. The major stat advantages for QC in this one were turnovers (25-14) and free throws (QC 18-27; LIU Post 12-15 FT).

 

  • Assumption picked up a 62-55 NE-10 Northeast decision at Stonehill behind a big game from Allison Stoddard (19 points, 5-8 3FG) to keep up with Franklin Pierce for third place in the division. The Greyhounds led for the entire first half (30-24 at the break) but the Skyhawks used a 12-0 carry-over run to grab a 36-30 edge early in the second half. Things stayed tight but a Stoddard trey kicked off an 8-2 run that gave AC the lead for good late in the game (53-49, 3:55) and they held on from there. Jo Impellizeri (12 points, 6 boards) and Kelly Conley (11 points) added depth for the Hounds while Shannon Brown (15 points), Kelly Martin (13 points), Samantha Hyslip (13 boards) and Kate Ross (11 rebounds) led the Skyhawks. Stonehil win the board battle (45-27) but committed a dozen more turnovers (22-10), leaving them in a three-way deadlock for the final NE-10 Northeast playoff slot with Merrimack and Southern New Hampshire.

 

  • Speaking of the latter teams, Merrimack dealt Southern New Hampshire a 65-55 setback to make the sprint for the final NE-10 Northeast playoff berth a three-way race. A 15-2 third period run featuring five different scorers sent the Warriors ahead for good (44-31), although the Penmen did whittle to margin down to 54-50 with 3:44 to play. MC responded with the next six points (60-50, 2:15), sufficient to secure the result. Tia Scott (18 points, 7 assists) and Madison Ward (12 points) topped the Merrimack effort as they shot 44% and turned the ball over seven fewer times (21-14). Briana Camara (career-high 18 points) and Jennifer Shelp (14 points) supplied SNHU with the most production but they shot 39% overall, negating good work at the line (17-22 FT).

 

  • Southern Connecticut had the upper hand in the second half and eventually ended up with a 68-51 win at the College of Saint Rose, ending a three-game slide and putting themselves right into the NE-10 Southwest playoff mix. The Golden Knights are also in that jumble but have lost six in a row, including this one in which they led 30-27 at halftime. SCSU started the third period on a 9-0 run and ended it with the final six points to grab the lead for good, 49-40. The Owls never let Saint Rose back in it after that and rolled home. Double-doubles from Nicole Grossbard (13 points, 13 assists) and Jackie Beathea (10 points, 14 boards) aided a 15-point effort from Taylor McLaughlin for the Owls, as they hauled in a dozen more rebounds (41-29) and made more inroads at the line (SCSU 13-19; Saint Rose 4-12 FT). Taylor Nazon (12 points) topped four double figure scorers for the Golden Knights but their 21-point second half doomed them to defeat.

 

  • Daemen has won four in a row to inject life into their ECC playoff push, the latest being a 75-67 triumph at Mercy. The key here was a 12-0 third period burst which broke a 42-all tie (54-42, 2:09), a spell that gave the Wildcats the lead for keeps. The Mavericks were unable to craft a serious response and lost for the sixth straight time, all but ending their own playoff hopes. Sarah Saba (21 points, 7 boards), Leah McDonell (17 points) and Somara Colon (15 points, 12 boards) set the table nicely for Daemen as they shot better (44%-31%) and dominated the boards (53-38). Deasia Goodson (23 points, 16 rebounds) was a force for Mercy while Chi-La Bady and Paxton Reddington added 11 points each in a game but futile effort.

 

  • The University of the Sciences never trailed on the way to a 73-42 win over Post to hold onto third place in the CACC South. Following a tepid first period, the Devils roared to life in the next two frames (50-19 in all) to race away and put the Eagles CACC North playoff hopes on the ropes. Natalie Stella (18 points) and Megan Ward (14 points, 9 boards) led four double figure Sciences scorers and as a team they shot well across the board (50% FG, 9-17 3FG, 19-24 FT) while also handling the glass nicely (34-21). Essence Brown (18 points) was Post’s only double digit scorer as they shot just 33% overall and lost their third straight game.

 

  • Chestnut Hill stayed a step ahead of the chasing pack in the CACC South playoff race with a 76-55 decision over Dominican (virtually locked into third place in the CACC North). DC led after one quarter (18-13) and held a 24-21 edge midway through the second quarter when CHC got hot and scored the last fourteen points of the frame (35-24). The Griffins stayed ahead and put the hammer down at the end of the third period, when they came up with a 14-2 closing surge (57-35) to put this one to bed. Jaeda Wildgoose (16 points) and Caity Kuhnen (15 points, 6 boards) led five double digit Chestnut Hill scorers while Lauren Milligan grabbed 15 rebounds (the difference on the stat sheet, as CHC won the glass, 53-38). Lisa Bouffard (16 points) and Deja Gabbidon (14 points, 8 rebounds) fared well for the Chargers, who did turn CHC over more often (20-11), but had no answer for the multiple Griffin runs.

 

  • Wilmington kept flickering CACC South playoff aspirations alive with a near wire-to-wire 82-56 win over Felician. The Wildcats (who trailed for all of eleven seconds) gained separation with a big second quarter (26-11) and led 44-26 at the half. The Golden Falcons, out of playoff contention in the CACC North, were not able to put together a meaningful run in the second half and fell to their fifth straight loss. Tenicia Spence (23 points) was WU’s major threat while Eliana Scanlon (22 points) topped the Golden Falcon scoring. Wilmington had the better of it in most statistical areas, including three-pointers (8-2) and rebounds (49-39).

 

  • Georgian Court stopped an eight-game slide with a 61-57 CACC decision over Concordia in a game between teams out of playoff contention. The teams were never separated by more than eight points in this one, with ten ties and fourteen lead changes telling the tale. Julianne Wilkinson’s trey gave the Clippers their last lead at the 1:53 mark (57-55) but the Lions scored the last six points to prevail. Jada Atchison’s basket with five ticks left was the winning hoop (59-57) and after a Clipper miss, Jess Placher (10 points) sank two free throws to wrap up the win. Alliyah Berger (18 points, 7 boards) and Jaelyn Tweedy (15 points) keyed the GCU effort while Jessica Rosalbo’s 13 points led a trio of double digits Clipper scorers.