Posted: Feb 25, 2018
Women’s Game Recaps #70 – 2/24/18
- Saturday saw the CACC complete its regular season and answer its one remaining playoff question while the ECC had a trio of games on tap but only one with any post season impact. The report starts with the decisive game in the CACC North Division and an upset in the CACC South Division…
- Zhane Robinson pumped in 33 points (10-19 FG, 3-5 3FG, 10-11 FT) to lead Bloomfield to a 69-62 win at Caldwell, giving the Bears the #1 seed in the CACC North Division via tie-breakers. The teams both posted 16-3 league marks but it’s Bloomfield which will go into the conference tournament as the top divisional seed. Deja McKenzie (14 points, 7 boards, 6 picks) and Bobbi Floyd (12 points) supplied nice support for BC in the victory, which is their fourth in a row. Maura Kelty (17 points, 12caroms), Kristen Drogsler (16 points but 0-10 from three-point range), Sharell Sanders (13 points) and Karlie O’Driscoll (12 points) led the Cougars attack in vain as Caldwell sustained their first home loss of the campaign (10-1). BC led most of the way with a peak edge of 26-12 early in the second quarter (32-23 at the break). Caldwell rallied within 39-37 near the end of the third period but a Bears response (6-0) to end the frame stalled the comeback and the closest the Cougars came in the fourth quarter was five points. Three-point shooting was a key difference, as Bloomfield shot 50% (8-16) and Caldwell was a dreadful 1-16. Bloomfield hosts Holy Family and Caldwell welcomes Chestnut Hill in the CACC quarterfinals on Tuesday.
- For the second time this season Chestnut Hill dumped the University of the Sciences, this time pinning a costly 80-77 defeat on the Devils. Both teams were set in their CACC South Division playoff places but the defeat may cost Sciences a chance to host the NCAA regional tournament. The Griffins put Sciences into a 46-34 halftime hole and extended the gap to 56-37 with 6:59 left in the third period before the Devils rallied. A 20-3 stretch drew the Devils within 59-57 late in the quarter but a Jaeda Wildgoose (23 points) basket ended the period for CHC and kicked off what became a 10-3 run, widening their lead to 71-60. Another Sciences counter, this time 10-0, cut the deficit to 71-70 with 5:09 to play. Wildgoose and Mary Trossi (14 points) stopped this rally with buckets (75-70) but the Devils kept coming, cutting the lead to 76-74 with 1:04 left after an Irisa Ye (career-highs of 18 points and 6 boards) basket. That was as close as it got with Trossi scoring at the :37 mark and Cassie Sebold (10 points) drilling two free throws with 15 ticks left (80-74). All told, Chestnut Hill placed six players in double digits (Vicky Tumasz had 13 points) and they out-shot the Devils, 48-38%, to nab their fourth straight win. Sarah Abbonizio (16 points, 6 rebounds), Alex Thomas (12 points) and Jess Huber (10 points) submitted double digits for Sciences along with Ye but their program-record eighteen-game winning streak is now history. CHC will visit Caldwell in the CACC quarterfinals on Tuesday while Sciences hosts Felician.
- The ECC completed its regular season with three games but only one had any playoff relevance… Queens edged Bridgeport in an ugly one, 50-44, to get to the .500 mark and keep hopes of a fifth place finish alive. Beth Bonin (24 points) was the only player to break into double digits in a game which had some back-and-forth to it. After a 7-7 first period tie, the Purple Knights dominated the second frame to take a 27-16 lead into the half. The Knights responded with a big third frame to grab a 39-38 advantage after three periods and set up a tight finish. Sarah Middleton scored to start the fourth quarter and give UB its last lead, 40-39, but QC registered the next seven points (46-40, 4:21) and never lost the lead again. Morgen Caution (9 points, 13 rebounds) topped the UB ticket but turnovers (21-11) cost the Purple Knights a chance to end its season with a win. Queens will visit either Roberts Wesleyan or NYIT in the ECC playoffs on Wednesday… Jenna Erickson registered a career-high 34 points (12-18 FG, 7-9 3FG) to help St. Thomas Aquinas wrap up their regular season with an 84-60 win at the University of the District of Columbia. Adiya Henderson (17 points, 13 boards) also played well for the Spartans, who will have a week off before playing in the ECC semifinals. STAC led all the way here, using a 32-12 third quarter explosion to stretch a 40-35 halftime lead into a 72-47 bulge after three frames. Daeja Quick (15 points) and Dana Harrington (12 points) led the Firebirds scoring but they were out-shot (51-39%) and couldn’t stay with STAC once they enjoyed their killer third period… Only four players scored for Molloy but it was enough to collect a 56-41 win over Mercy to end both teams’ seasons. Marthe Guirand (career-bests of 20 points and 20 rebounds), Melody Prichard (14 points, 8 boards), Kathryn Gibson (12 points) and Ihnacinse Grady (10 points) compiled every Lions point as they led all the way, starting fast (25-6 after one period) and keeping the Mavericks from mounting too much of a comeback. Monet Keane-Dawes and Amber Brown topped the Mavericks with 12 points each and they did force twice as many turnovers as they committed (22-11) but didn’t turn that into a big advantage on the scoreboard (11-10 in points-off-TO’s). The Lions shot better (45-23%) and ruled the glass (47-28) to help end a ten-game slide.
- Jefferson rode a 10-0 fourth quarter flurry to help turn back Holy Family, 62-50, in a clash of two CACC South Division teams gearing for the playoffs. Jessica Kaminski (16 points, 14 boards, 4 steals) led the Rams effort as her unit led at the half (31-24) and after three periods (43-40). The Tigers were still in the game when Jefferson unfurled that 10-0 run, pushing the gap to 58-45 with 3:08 to go, all but ending the uncertainty. Rachel Day and Erin Maher added 10 points each for the Rams, who dominated the glass (52-40, leading to 24 more field goal attempts, 74-50) and committed only four turnovers. Niayana Sabb (career-high 13 points) was the only Tiger in double digits. Jefferson hosts Dominican in the CACC tournament on Tuesday while HFU travels to Bloomfield… Dominican won their third in a row to prep for the playoffs, a 72-58 decision over Nyack (who end their season with sixteen straight setbacks). The Chargers never trailed but had to put up a 22-9 fourth period to ensure their success. Taylor Tomlinson, Alpreshia Parker and Jasmine Gee all tossed in 14 points for DC while Rebecca Rabeiro had a 13-point, 10-assist outing to lead Dominican. Bryanna Brown (22 points) led the Warriors attack but they fell short from the field (DC, 47-35%) and off the glass (DC, 39-27)… Felician won an overtime game for the first time in more than four years by shading Georgian Court, 71-66, to head into the CACC playoffs on an up note. The teams were never separated by more ten points and saw four ties and nine lead changes in this one. The Lions held the whip hand late in regulation, 54-49 with 3:48 to go, but the Golden Falcons notched six of the last seven points to force OT (55-each). Kameron Stone’s (23 points) basket with :28 left was the final blow and Felician carried the momentum into the extra session, where they opened with an 8-2 spell (14-3 overall). The subsequent 63-57 lead (2:22) was too much for GCU to overcome. Bionca Chambers (13 points) and Shana Owen (12 points) added doubles for the winners while Jess Placher (18 points) and Jaelyn Tweedy (16 points, 10 boards, 6 assists) were the pick of the lot for the Lions… Post snared a 67-64 win over Concordia to complete the season for both clubs. Toni Deren and Jasmyne Fogle each drilled a pair of foul shots in the last 47 seconds to give the Eagles the win in a contest which was close all the way (six ties, seven lead changes and a gap of no more than seven points). Kiana Nichols (16 points), Lauren Chambers (13 points) and Fogle (11 points, 15 boards) were central to the Eagles effort while Julianne Wilkinson (19 points; 5-10 3FG), Hadiyah Black (10 points, 13 rebounds) and Jordan Hornbuckle (11 points) were at the helm for the Clippers… Goldey-Beacom prevailed in the battle of Delaware over Wilmington, 82-63, to put the wraps on the winter for both squads. The Lightning was good value for the win, out-shooting (51-41%) and out-rebounding (50-35) the Wildcats decisively. GBC led by as many as 22 points before settling for a 44-30 halftime lead and kept the lead solid the rest of the way. Britani Bryson (21 points, 20 rebounds) was excellent for GBC with good depth from Alanna Speaks (15 points), Marisa Howard (11 points) and Amanda McGrogan (10 points). There was one bright spot for the Wildcats as Macy Robinson (27 points; 11-19 FG) scored her 1,000th career point during the game. Emma Matthews also tossed in 16 points for a Wildcat combine that ends the year on a ten-game slide.