Collins Nets 22 Points, Simonds Adds Third Career Double-Double With 15 Points, 18 Rebounds And Six Blocked Shots As Women's Basketball Remains Unbeaten At 9-0 With 71-57 Northeast-10 Triumph Over Bryant

December 10, 2005

STONEHILL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Merkert Gymnasium, Easton, Mass.

FINAL:STONEHILL 71, BRYANT 57

EASTON, Mass.-- Junior Alisha Collins (Port Chester, N.Y.) scored 22 points, while freshman Kelsey Simonds (Bridgewater, Mass.) notched his third career double-double with 15 points and a career-high 18 rebounds to go with six blocked shots as Stonehill continued its best start in 11 years with a 71-57 Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball victory over Bryant Saturday afternoon at Merkert Gymnasium.

The host Skyhawks, 9-0 overall for the first time since the start of the 1994-95 campaign and 5-0 in Northeast-10 play, overcame an eight-point deficit midway through the first half with a 17-0 run over a 4:23 stretch to take a 30-21 lead before closing the half with a 7-2 run over the final 3:23 to take a 41-28 advantage at the break. The visiting Bulldogs (2-5, 0-5 Northeast-10) quickly closed back to within eight points early in the second half before Stonehill used a 13-5 run to take a 16-point cushion (54-38) on a Collins lay-in with 14:26 to play. The hosts held a double-digit advantage for the remainder of the contest, building their edge to as many as 20 points (67-47) in the final 5:05 to remain unbeaten on the season.

Collins added six boards in the win for Stonehill, as Simonds had recorded a double-double (15 points, 15 rebounds) at halftime. Junior Kim Morast (Bridgewater, Mass.) was also in double figures for the Skyhawks with 13 points, four assists and three steals, while sophomore Erika Stupinski (Topsham, Maine) added eight points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals for the hosts, who shot 44 percent from the field for the contest and held a 45-38 rebounding edge while committing only 12 turnovers. The win was Stonehill's 41st in 57 series meetings with Bryant, and the Skyhawks also picked up their 53rd triumph in the last 54 games when holding an opponent to 59 or fewer points. Stonehill, which is enjoying its longest winning streak since a 10-game victory skein in January 1997, held a 48-18 advantage in points in the paint for the contest.

Junior Joanna Skiba (Providence, R.I.) paced Bryant in the scoring column with 19 points and four assists, while sophomore Lynne-Ann Kokoski (Hatfield, Mass.) was also in double figures with 10 points. Junior Erin Murphy (Albany, N.Y.) added nine points and seven rebounds for the Bulldogs, who also received seven points and seven boards from senior Megan Peper (Castleton, N.Y.). Bryant shot 31 percent from the field and committed 18 turnovers on the afternoon, but the Bulldogs outscored the Skyhawks by a 19-4 margin for the contest, taking 20 more free throw attempts (27-7) than Stonehill on the afternoon.

Both teams will face Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) in their next respective outings in non-league play, as Stonehill hosts the Cardinals on Monday, December 19th at Merkert Gymnasium beginning at 6:00 p.m. after Bryant entertains Saginaw Valley State on Sunday, December 18th in Smithfield, R.I. beginning at 1:30 p.m.