Women's Game Recaps -#65 - 2/16-17/18

Posted: Feb 18, 2018

 Women’s Game Recaps #65 – 2/16-17/18

  

  • The final big regular season weekend featured vital games in all three conferences with playoff implications everywhere. This Friday/Saturday report begins with a trio of games (one in each loop), all with significant post season ramifications…

 

  • LIU Post took control of the ECC with a 77-66 win over St. Thomas Aquinas in a clash of the top two teams in the standings. Sasha Patterson (17 points, 17 boards; 9-12 FT) and Shannon Doyle led four in double digits for the Pioneers, who dominated the glass (46-28) and led for the entire second half. At the half the Pioneers held a 41-35 lead but an 8-0 run to begin the second half made it a 61-48 game and the Spartans were in too deep to recover. STAC did manage to whittle the deficit to 69-63 with 1:53 left but the Pioneers drilled 8-10 at the line the rest of the way to ensure the decision. Free throws were plentiful both ways (LIU Post 26-37; STAC 23-25 FT) in a possible ECC title game preview. Alex Bertolino (20 points) and Jenna Erickson (18 points, 7 assists; 10-10 FT) were productive for STAC but their eight-game win streak came to an end. The Pioneers, meanwhile, have won six in a row (twenty overall), own a sweep over STAC and control their own destiny in the quest for the #1 seed.

 

  • Caldwell banked an important CACC cross-over win against Jefferson, 69-59, to keep a grip on the division lead in the CACC North. Maura Kelty (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Andie Lennon (14 points) sparked the Cougars attack, one which snagged the lead for good with an 18-8 third period showing (50-44 after three frames). The Rams closed the gap to 50-48 early in the fourth quarter but a 10-2 Cougar response (60-50, 4:36) all but salted away the result. Jessica Kaminski (16 points, 7 rebounds) and Alynna Williams (12 points, 6 caroms) did the job for the Rams despite the outcome. Caldwell (winners of five on the spin) holds a one-game lead over Bloomfield in the CACC North with two games left while Jefferson’s hopes of winning the CACC South are gone. In fact, the Rams edge over Chestnut Hill for second place is down to a single game, both units having two games left to play.

  

  • Southern Connecticut clinched the NE10 Southwest Division crown with a hard-earned 53-50 win over nearest challenger Pace in Pleasantville. The Setters, whose five-game win streak came to an end, led after three periods, 41-36 and still had a 49-48 edge at the 2:38 mark after a Lauren Schetter (16 points; 6-9 FG, 4-5 FT) basket before the Owls made their move. Murphy Murad made four straight free throws to put SCSU ahead, 52-49, with 1:03 to play. Schetter and Kiana Steinauer (15 points, 14 boards) swapped 1-2 trips to the line to make it 53-50 and, when Alexandra Monteleone missed a trey at the horn, the Owls had the win. Abby Hurlbert (13 points, 7 boards) supported Steinauer for the Owls in a game that saw points a struggle and both combines shoot terribly from deep (SCSU 4-25; Pace 2-18 3FG). Southern Connecticut, the eighth team in the region to reach twenty wins, is finished until the NE10 quarterfinals next weekend while Pace could finish either second or third in the division (they’re tied with LeMoyne at the moment).

  

  • Staying in the NE10, the top four teams in the Northeast Division all won, locking up the seeding in the loop with a game left… Stonehill wrapped up the top seed with their fourteenth straight win, a 74-63 triumph over Assumption. Kelly Martin (15 points), Grace Carter (12 points) and Samantha Hyslip (11 points) topped a Skyhawk club which shot 47% from the floor and doubled their halftime lead (37-26) with a big third period (62-40 after three frames). Morgan O’Donnell (23 points; 8-12 FG, 7-9 FT) and Kiera O’Donnell (10 points, 7 caroms) led the Greyhounds stat sheet… Bentley secured the #2 seed with a coast-to-coast win over Merrimack (the 5th seed), 68-49. The Falcons ruled the glass (43-29, which included 17 offensive caroms) and feasted in points-off-turnovers (23-7) as they rolled to victory behind Lauren Green (14 points, 4-8 3FG), Victoria Lux (11 points, 7 boards) and Meghan Lewis (10 points). Lindsay Werner (17 points) was the sole Warrior to reach double digits… St. Anselm needed a late flurry to bypass St. Michael’s and pick up a 75-72 win, securing the #3 seed in the division. The Hawks scored the last eight points of the game, coming back from a 72-67 deficit with 3:56 left to prevail. Peyton Steinman’s (11 points) basket with 1:34 left put St. A’s ahead to stay (73-72) and an Ali Glennon (21 points) hoop with 2.7 ticks left closed the scoring. Leah Spencer’s trey for the Purple Knights to force overtime was off the mark, allowing the Hawks to leave Vermont as winners. Shannon Ryan (29 points, 18 boards; 13-21 FG) was a force for the Hawks while Nicole Anderson and Spencer (15 points each) led the SMC effort. St. Anselm proved to be too much for St. Mike’s off the glass (46-34) and in second-chance points (26-7), as well… Southern New Hampshire beat Franklin Pierce in Manchester, 71-61, to end a two-game slide and ensure the #4 seed in the division. A 21-4 explosion to close the first half staked the Penmen to a 43-29 edge and they kept the Ravens (losers of eighteen in a row) in the rear view mirror thereafter. Jennifer Shelp (12 points, 6-8 FG) and Molly Terry (12 points) led a balanced SNHU attack that was +20 on the boards (48-28). Mya Mosley (20 points), Sophia Holmes (career-high 19 points) and Jemma Thacker (13 points) supplied the bulk of the FPU scoring.

  

  • The NE10 Southwest Division largely remains a jumble aside of the top seed (Southern Connecticut)... LeMoyne kept their hopes of a second place finish alive with a 69-45 wipeout of the College of Saint Rose in Albany. The Dolphins ended a three-game losing skid by shooting (48-30%) and rebounding (40-25) much better than the fading Golden Knights (seven straight losses) and a big third period (17-5) turned a slim halftime lead into a 51-35 bulge. Saint Rose didn’t make a field goal in the third quarter (0-10 FG) and are stuck in a fight for a playoff spot. McKayla Roberts (19 points, 6 dimes) and Nicole Reddick (14 points, 8 boards) were among four double figure LC scorers while Courtney Clasen (8 points) led Saint Rose. LC is even with Pace for second place while the Golden Knights are tied for 5th place (a game behind idle Adelphi in 4th place) with one game left… New Haven won its third in a row, getting the better of AIC, 73-61, in a clash between teams in need of a win to stay alive in the playoff race. Alexandria Kerr had a huge game (29 points, 12 boards; all 40 minutes) in scoring her 1,000th career point to lead the Chargers to victory. UNH had the edge most of the way and held a 58-45 lead with 4:17 left but the Yellow jackets had one last rally in them. A 10-2 spell cut the gap to 60-55 (2:18) but New Haven made 11-12 at the line down the stretch to ice the win and eliminate AIC from post season contention. Micah Womack (16 points, 7-9 FG) was also sharp for UNH, which shot better (45-36%) and doubled up AIC at the line (UNH 26-29; AIC 13-21 FT). Dana Watts (19 points, 9 rebounds) and Alyssa Guyon (14 points) topped the AIC resume.

  

  • Roberts Wesleyan split a pair of weekend games and seems ensconced in the #3 spot in the ECC. Friday’s loss to Queens (57-55) was a tight one but an 8-0 fourth period burst put the Knights ahead to stay (52-45, 6:24). The Redhawks chipped away and closed to within 54-53 (15 seconds) after a Taya Andrews (19 points) free throw. Beth Bonin made two at the stripe to extend the lead to 56-53 and after an Andrews missed trey, Bonin made one more FT (57-53, :03). Andrews converted a basket on the ensuing trip with a foul but RWC committed a lane violation in trying to get a miss/rebound/shot attempt to tie the game. Taliyah Hopkins (career-high 26 points, 10-15 FG, 6-7 FT) was terrific for QC as her team prevailed off the glass (43-34) and in second-chance points (11-0). Queens has all but nailed down an ECC playoff spot with the win… Roberts Wesleyan bounced back the next night to turn back Molloy, 66-57, and get back on the winning track. Lucy Covley (12 points, 4-11 3FG) was one of four Redhawks to record double digits but it was Necedah James who scored back-to-back hoops to break the day’s final tie (43-43 after three frames) and put RWC on its way. Melody Prichard (personal-best 22 points; 6-12 3FG) was prolific from long-range for the Lions, who shot better overall (50-40%) but couldn’t take care of the ball (25 turnovers leading to 24 Redhawk points). Molloy has dropped nine in a row (see next) and is out of playoff contention… Daemen started their weekend with a 48-35 win on Friday over Molloy, finding just enough offense to go with their excellent defensive effort. The Wildcats, now guaranteed their first ECC playoff berth, set a program Division II-era record for fewest points allowed in a game and never trailed in this one. Caroline White (17 points), Sarah Saba (14 points, 7 boards), Tiara Filbert (12 points, 8 boards) and Sarah Young (15 rebounds) were all central to the Daemen victory as they jumped to a 25-11 halftime lead, holding the Lions to 5-26 from the floor in the first half. Gabriella Aspuru (11 points, 7 rebounds) was Molloy’s best scoring threat but they were second-best off the glass (43-29) and in second-chance points (17-7)… NYIT’s hold on fourth place in the ECC (and a first round home game) seems solid after their 72-46 win against the University of the District of Columbia. The Bears raced to a 36-13 halftime lead and were never under much duress from the Firebirds despite a sterling game from UDC’s Daeja Quick (26 points, 10-19 FG). Maia Hood (18 points, 9 boards) was NYIT’s top stat-gatherer as they ruled the roost in shooting (48-30%), three-point (NYIT 7-16; UDC 1-14 3FG) and rebounding terms (38-27)… Mercy picked up its second straight win, defeating Bridgeport, 58-55, virtually knocking the Purple Knights out of the ECC playoff picture. This back-and-forth affair (16 ties, 11 lead changes and a spread of six points or less) saw the Mavericks take the lead for keeps after a Monet Keane-Dawes triple with 3:38 left (52-51). Amber Brown (22 points, 9 rebounds) put the final nail in with two free throws at the :10 mark and a UB turnover on the next possession made sure of the result. Samnell Vonleh (15 points, 16 rebounds) was a factor inside for Bridgeport but, despite owning the glass (55-32), the Purple Knights were bettered at the foul line by Mercy (Mavericks 19-19; UB 7-17 FT) and fell short at the decisive time.

  

  • The region’s longest winning streak continued as the University of the Sciences beat Nyack, 70-51, to extend their skein to eighteen in a row. The victory also guaranteed the Devils the #1 seed in the CACC South Division while the loss was Nyack’s fourteenth in succession. Sarah Abbonizio and Alex Thomas (15 points each) led four double digit scorers for the winners, who led all the way and slowly built that edge. A 13-3 spree to start the last period created a 61-39 margin, though, taking away any possible drama. Japria Karim-Duvall (13 points) was the top-scoring Warrior. Sciences continued its three-point exploits by sinking 13-38 while Nyack was just 4-15 from long-range… Chestnut Hill slammed Felician, 103-66, to crawl within a game of second place in the CACC South behind Jefferson. The Griffins have now hit the century plateau at least once in each of the last three seasons (the only regional team to do so in that span) and put five players in double digits in this rout. Shannon Glenn (20 points, 8 boards), Vicky Tumasz (17 points), Cassie Sebold and Rachel Millan (16 points each) all played their part for CHC, which led 34-10 after one quarter and 53-26 at halftime. Nicole Pimentel (14 points) and Kameron Stone (12 points) topped the Golden Falcons scoring as their three-game win streak came to an end and they fell to fourth place in the CACC North. The Griffins shot better (47-32%), doubled-up Felician from three-point land (12-6), feasted from the line (21-29; Felician 8-10 FT) and dominated in points-off-mistakes (33-4).

  

  • Bloomfield stayed a game behind Caldwell in the CACC North race thanks to an 80-72 win over Georgian Court. Zhane Robinson (32 points, 12 boards; 13-27 FG, 5-6 FT) was immense in leading the Bears to victory with Bobbi Floyd (16 points, 21 rebounds) playing a seriously good second fiddle. The game saw seven ties and ten lead changes and was back-and-forth until a 12-2 surge gave BC a 59-53 lead in the third period. The Lions battled and pushed Bloomfield the rest of the way but couldn’t make up the ground and lost their fifth in a row. Jaelyn Tweedy (18 points) and Destiny Thompson (17 points, 11 boards) played well for GCU but as a unit they were out-rebounded, 55-42, leading to fifteen more shot attempts for Bloomfield… Dominican is back in third place in the CACC North after their 60-39 decision against Goldey-Beacom. The Chargers shot an even 50% and held the Lightning to just 29%, their defense especially effective in the second period (GBC 1-12 FG; just three points). DC went into the half ahead, 27-17, and stretched the chasm to 46-29 after three periods on the way to the win. Jasmine Gee (14 points) and Rebecca Rabeiro (12 points) topped the DC scoring while Britani Bryson (15 points, 8 boards) was the Lightning’s best bet… Post is within a game of the final CACC North playoff spot with two games left thanks to an 88-84 win at Wilmington. The Eagles led 40-27 at the interval and 56-52 after three periods when both teams heated up in a high-octane fourth period (32 points each). The Wildcats tied the game once in the last period (56-all) but Post grabbed a 79-70 lead with 1:48 left and held firm despite a Wilmington rally that cut the deficit to two points twice. Toni Deren (25 points) iced the game with two freebies with six seconds left, keeping Post’s playoff hopes alive. Kiana Nichols (22 points, 10-12 FG) and Lauren Chambers (12 points 10 assists, 8 boards; 10-10 FT) were excellent for the Eagles along with Deren while Jadyn Whitsitt (22 points, 6 boards), Nyree Grant (22 points) and Macy Robinson (17 points) shined despite WU’s eighth straight loss. Both teams shot well (Post, 51-48%) but the Eagles did the job off the glass (43-31) and at the line (Post 20-24; WU 5-8 FT) to help their cause… Concordia surprised Holy Family, 72-65, to end a five-game slide and lock the Tigers into the #4 seed in the CACC South Division. The result also marked the first time the Clippers have ever topped HFU (nine all-time contests). Concordia went ahead for good with a 9-0 third period binge (48-41) and held the Tigers at bay the rest of the night. Nicole Nicholson (22 points), Lyric Blanch (13 points) and Hadiyah Black (10 points, 13 boards) filled key roles for the Clippers while Casey Schweitzer (16 points, 7 boards) and Alexis Hofstaedter (14 points, 7 assists) led the way for HFU.