Kennedy Nets 18 Points To Lead Three Players In Double Figures As Women's Basketball Opens 2005-2006 Campaign With Solid Shooting Effort In 79-51 Non-League Victory At St. Thomas Aquinas In Northeast-10/NYCAC Challenge

November 15, 2005

STONEHILL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

2005 Northeast-10/NYCAC Challenge

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Aquinas Hall, Sparkill, N.Y.

FINAL:STONEHILL 79, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 51

SPARKILL, N.Y.-- Junior Caitlin Kennedy (Baldwin, N.Y.) scored 18 points to lead three players in double figures as Stonehill opened its 2005-2006 season with a 79-51 non-league college women's basketball victory over St. Thomas Aquinas as part of the 2005 Northeast-10/NYCAC Challenge at Aquinas Hall.

The visiting Skyhawks (1-0) blistered the nets at a 63 percent clip in the opening 20 minutes of play to take a 48-26 advantage at the break, as Stonehill collected six three-pointers in the opening half of action. The Skyhawks maintained that double-digit edge throughout the second half, as the host Spartans (0-1) connected on only 5-of-25 shots after intermission and shot just 29 percent (16-54) from the field for the contest, including a 1-of-8 effort from three-point range, as Stonehill won for the 47th time in its last 48 outings when holding an opponent to 59 or fewer points.

Junior Alisha Collins (Port Chester, N.Y.) added 17 points in the triumph for the Skyhawks, who also received 11 points (including three three-pointers) and four assists from sophomore Erika Stupinski (Topsham, Maine). Senior Barbara Dauplaise (Brockton, Mass.) came off the bench to score eight points for the winners, who also received a combined 13 bench points from sophomores Meghan Driscoll (Bridgewater, Mass.) and Daryl Cioffi (New Milford, N.J.). Freshman Kelsey Simonds (Bridgewater, Mass.) impacted in her collegiate debut by grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds while dishing off five assists, while fellow freshman Bethany Tighe (North Easton, Mass.) added five steals off the bench in her first collegiate contest for Stonehill, which shot 69 percent (9-13) from three-point range for the evening and held a 49-30 rebounding advantage.

Freshman Raven Brinkley (Rego Park, N.Y.) was the lone player in double figures for St. Thomas Aquinas with 13 points, as sophomore Takiyah Ingram (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) added nine points and four assists and freshman Corinne Albrecht (Samsonville, N.Y.) eight rebounds in her first collegiate contest for the Spartans.

The win, Stonehill's fifth straight in season openers under Head Coach Trisha Brown, was the Skyhawks' second in two series meetings between the two teams, as Stonehill posted an 83-49 triumph over the Spartans in their first meeting in the 2003 NCAA Northeast Regional quarterfinals.

Stonehill travels to Worcester, Mass. on Friday evening to participate in the two-day Assumption Tip-Off Classic, as the Skyhawks square off with Molloy in first round play at Laska Gymnasium beginning at 6:00 p.m. St. Thomas Aquinas travels to Pensacola, Fla. on Friday afternoon to participate in the two-day West Florida Classic.