Posted: Mar 20, 2018
Women’s Game Recaps #80 – 3/19/18
- Despite superb outings from Kelly Martin (27 points; career-high 20 rebounds; 5-17 FG, 16-18 FT) and Courtney Walsh (25 points, including her 1,000th career point; 9-18 FG, 5-11 3FG) and a sterling rally from a sixteen-point second half deficit, Stonehill’s season came to an end at the Elite Eight in Sioux Falls, South Dakota against Indiana (PA), 75-71, in the national quarterfnals. The Skyhawks fought back to tie twice in the fourth period yet never took the lead in a game where they shot poorly (29.6% FG) but made an impact at the line (22-27 FT) and pulled in seventeen more rebounds (55-38). The Crimson Hawks (30-3) jumped to a quick 7-0 lead before Walsh got the Skyhawks on the board with a pair of free throws with 2:38 elapsed, the second shot representing her 1,000th point. IUP didn’t waver and led by as many as eleven points a few times in the period but Stonehill did trim the deficit to 20-15 after one frame thanks mostly to Walsh (11 points). After a period of point-swapping, IUP ran off an 10-1 run to take a 35-23 lead with 4:35 to go in the half and they arrived at the interval with their largest lead to that point, 47-34. Megan Smith (22 points, 9 rebounds) sank a trey with 6:43 left in the third quarter to establish IUP’s largest advantage, 52-36, but that sparked Martin to life and with it a Stonehill rally. She scored the next thirteen Skyhawk points (eleven at the foul line) and, after a pair of Elizabeth Grip baskets, the Skyhawks were within 58-53 (:42). Brittany Robinson (14 points, 7 boards; 5-7 FG) split a pair at the stripe for IUP to end the third period scoring, 59-53. Walsh kicked off the fourth quarter with a triple to halve the lead (59-56) and the teams traded baskets for a spell after that. Kelsey Shaw’s three-pointer at the 4:46 mark brought Stonehill within 65-63 and Martin dropped in two foul shots with 3:50 on the clock to draw Stonehill even at 65. Carolyn Appleby (23 points, 6 assists) answered with a basket and Smith added a free throw to give IUP back the lead with 2:54 left, only to see Walsh drain another trey to level matters for the second (and last) time with 2:34 left, 68-68. Robinson snapped the tie thanks to a screen/roll with Appleby at the 2:13 mark (70-68) and Stonehill missed a chance to tie (Martin drive) or take the lead (Grace Carter corner three-pointer) on the next trip up the floor. Appleby sank two FT’s with a minute left (72-68) but Walsh again canned a triple (:51) to make it a one-point game, 72-71. Grip swatted Audrey Stapleton’s shot on IUP’s next possession but Appleby forced a held ball in the aftermath (:17) with the arrow in the Crimson Hawks direction. Robinson made it count with two foul shots (:15.8) and Walsh’s well-defended long three-pointer caught only iron at the other end. Appleby put the finishing touch on with a free throw at the :01.7 mark, sending IUP into the national semifinals against defending champion Ashland. It was a frustrating end for the Skyhawks who shot a season-low 29.6% and were out-dueled in the paint (46-22). Martin (1,486 points), Walsh, Hyslip (6 points, 10 boards), both 1K-point scorers, and Grip all end their careers with this setback but did manage to snap a 23-year dry spell and get the program back into the Elite Eight under East Region Coach of the Year Trisha Brown, which cements their legacy at Stonehill.