• The NE10 races heated up on Saturday and the ECC had the better of the crossover play against the CACC in non-league action, as well. The report begins with a change atop the NE10 Southwest ladder…
• Big games from Leonie Edringer (20 points, 12 rebounds) and Niajah Morgan (18 points, 9 caroms) led Adelphi to a 63-47 win over Southern Connecticut to ascend to the top of the early NE10 Southwest Division standings. The Panthers held leads at the half and after three frames but the Owls closed to within 43-42 early in the fourth quarter when AU exploded for a game-clinching 11-0 run (54-42, 5:18). Jessica Fressle (17 points) and Amanda Pfohl (12 points) led the SCSU scoring but the Owls were out-shot (AU 46-28% FG) and out-rebounded (42-31) in losing their second straight game… LeMoyne is tucked in behind Adelphi in the division after they waxed Pace, 73-38. The Dolphins raced to a 34-14 halftime lead, shot 53% overall (Pace shot just 26%) and dominated the glass by an absurd amount (50-16) to secure the victory. Corinne Poitevien (17 points, 15 boards), Cameron Tooley (12 points) and McKayla Roberts (10 points, 7 boards, 6 assists) all filled key roles for LC while Lauren Schetter’s 9 points topped a bland Setters effort… The College of Saint Rose blasted New Haven in the middle two frames (40-13) to snare a 65-53 win in Albany, their second straight victory. A 20-11 Charger first period lead melted away as the Golden Knights found their feet, bookending 11-2 and 11-0 runs in the second quarter to go ahead at the half, 33-25. They stretched it to 51-33 after three periods, more than enough to earn the spoils. Ashley Vanderwall (18 points, 4-7 3FG) and Nina Fedullo (11 points) led the Golden Knights, who shot better (50-35% FG), made more triples (9-4) and got to the line more frequently than the visitors (Saint Rose 10-20; UNH 1-5 FT). Brie Pergola (16 points) and Alexandria Kerr (9 points, 16 rebounds) led the UNH effort.
• NE10 Northeast Division leader Bentley sank a program-record 16 three-pointers and placed four in double digits en route to a wire-to-wire win over St. Michael’s, 91-46. The unbeaten Falcons led 51-37 at the half and put the hammer down with a 24-5 third quarter explosion. Katie Meriggioli (20 points, 7 boards, 6 assists) and Megan Lewis (17 points, 9 rebounds) topped Bentley’s stat sheet as they drilled 16-30 from deep as a team, posted a 27/8 assist/turnover ratio and won the glass, 49-36. Emily Ferreri (17 points, 6 rebounds) topped a Purple Knights attack which shot 33% overall… Sarah Messler’s double-double (career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds) led St. Anselm to a comeback 60-50 win over Merrimack to stay tied for second place in the loop. The Warriors led 31-25 at halftime and 40-39 after three frames but the Hawks opened the fourth quarter with an 11-2 binge (50-42, 4:43) and never looked back. Shannon Ryan and Julia Thissell added 10 points each for St. A’s while Alyssa Casey (12 points), Mayson Kimball (11 points, 11 caroms) and Denia Davis-Stewart (10 points, 11 rebounds, 8 rejections) keyed Merrimack. The luckless Warriors have somehow contrived to drop all four of their league games thus far by a combined 21 points… Stonehill rode an early 28-0 bomb to a 71-46 win at Franklin Pierce to remain tied for second place. The Skyhawks sped away from a 6-5 lead to turn it into a 34-5 laugher with the massive run and managed the game thereafter (they led 42-16 at the half). Maty Diabate (15 points, 7-8 FG) and Jennifer Worden (13 points) led Stonehill’s outing as they shot 48% overall and locked the Ravens down at the 29% clip. Izzy Lipinski’s 10 points was the FPU highlight… Assumption hopped over Southern New Hampshire into fourth place in the division thanks to a 76-66 win in Worcester. Meghan Cramb’s career-best 24 points (8-12 FG, 5-8 3FG) led the Greyhounds and she made a pair of triples in a game-clinching 8-2 run in the last period. AC led 51-45 after three quarters but the Penmen rallied to within 56-55 with 6:50 on the clock when AC unspooled the aforementioned run that extended the margin to 64-57 (4:51). It was never a single possession game again, meaning AC has won three in a row. Brianna Capacchione (11 points) and Abby McKanna (11 points, 7 boards) also played well for the Hounds, who were far superior from long range (AC 11-27; SNHU 3-15 3FG). Kylie Lorenzen (22 points, 8 boards; 12-13 FT) and Gyanna Russell (10 points) registered double digits for the Penmen despite their second straight setback.
• The ECC had the upper hand over the CACC in crossover games this weekend, posting a 5-1 record. LIU Post was pushed the hardest among the winners, nipping Holy Family, 67-63. The Tigers held a 51-48 edge after three quarters in a contest that saw ten ties and sixteen lead changes, and in which the spread was never more than six points. A 9-0 Pioneer surge put them ahead to stay late in the frame, turning a 57-54 deficit into a 63-57 lead with 1:57 to go; HFU never again had the ball within one possession. Sasha Patterson (13 points, 14 rebounds) and Mikaiya Moore (13 points) led an LIU Post effort that was +10 on the glass (35-25) and reached the line more often (LIU Post 17-19; Holy Family 8-11 FT). Katie O’Hare (18 points) and Elizabeth Radley (15 points) sparked the Tiger offense… St. Thomas Aquinas pulled away from Goldey-Beacom to notch a 72-58 win with Zaria Thomas (16 points, 5 steals; 4-8 3FG) leading the way. Chelsea Murphy (12 points, 8 boards) and Emily Preston (12 points) added depth for the Spartans, who shot 52% from the field and profited in points-off-turnovers, 35-12. STAC led 54-45 after three periods and killed the suspense with a 10-3 binge to open the last frame (64-48). Tanner Turner-Rush (19 points, 16 caroms) and Alanna Speaks (15 points, 6 rebounds) kept the Lightning in range for much of the night… Molloy ground out a 54-47 win over winless Caldwell with Melody Prichard (16 points) and Tyra Harrison (11 points) supplying half of their scoring. An 8-0 spell late in the third quarter helped the Lions, who have win five in a row, establish a 42-32 edge by the end of the stanza and the Cougars never came closer than seven points after that. Alessia Smaldone’s 17-point, 6-assist game led the Caldwell attack… A balanced offense fueled by Sara Nady (19 points), Emily Miller (18 points, 13 boards) and Taylor Bynoe (16 points, 8-11 FG) helped Roberts Wesleyan win for the fourth straight time, this one an 81-62 decision over Chestnut Hill. The Redhawks trailed after one period but a 30-point second quarter propelled them into the half ahead by a 43-32 count. The Griffins, with Jaeda Wildgoose (14 points) and Cassie Sebold (12 points) netting double figures, hung around but never seriously troubled RWC once they fell behind… Bridgeport received a big boost from Samnell Vonleh (25 points) to subdue Georgian Court by a 73-58 count. The Purple Knights held a slim 31-29 halftime edge but a 12-0 third period sortie helped them widen the margin to 45-37 after three frames and they held firm the rest of the way to reach the .500 mark. Sarah Middleton (15 points, 9 boards) was also vital for UB as they trooped to the line a lot (25-32; GCU 13-16 FT). Safiyyah Lee (17 points) and Destiny Thompson (16 points) provided the pop for the Lions.
• The only CACC win against the ECC was courtesy of Concordia, a 77-65 comeback decision over Queens. Cameron Corbett sank a career-high 30 points (8-12 FG, 4-4 3FG, 10-11 FT) to lead the Clippers and she was one of four players to reach double digits in the success. Beth Bonin led the Knights with 19 points (4-11 3FG) but they have now dropped five in a row. Queens led by as many as fourteen points (41-27) late in the first half but the Clippers closed the gap to 53-51 by the end of the third stanza. A 15-3 burst to open the last quarter put the Clippers ahead to stay (66-56, 5:36). Concordia used better shooting (43-35% FG) and more free throw visits (24-30; QC 12-18 FT) to negate a 48-33 Knights rebound bulge… AIC led all the way as they wiped out Post, 66-35, in a non-league clash in Springfield. Dana Watts (25 points, 9 boards; 10-19 FG) led three double digit Yellow Jacket scorers and they didn’t give the Eagles any respite at the defensive end (Post shot 19.7%; 12-61 FG). AIC led 36-15 at the break and iced the game by taking advantage of points-off-miscues (23-9). Sha’Raya Haines had a team-high nine points for the Eagles… Bloomfield picked up its first win of the campaign with a 74-64 decision over Lincoln (PA). Jaylah Bennett (19 points), Caitlin Thomas (18 points) and Deja McKenzie (13 points) were at the heart of things for the Bears, who rallied from a 26-25 halftime deficit. A 14-5 binge snapped a 34-all tie and gave BC a lead (48-39) they never relinquished. The Bears opened the final frame with an 11-5 run to make it a 61-49 game but the Lions (2-5) fought back and sliced the arrears to 63-59 (3:55) courtesy of a 10-2 flurry. That was as close as they came, though, as Bloomfield kept their poise. Free throws down the stretch and all day (23-37; Lincoln 8-24 FT) were a boon for the Bears as they snapped a six-game slide going back to last season.