Collins, Morast Each Score 13 Points As Ninth-Ranked Women's Basketball Drops 65-53 Northeast-10 Decision To Southern Connecticut In Battle Of Regional Powers

January 28, 2006

STONEHILL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Saturday, January 28, 2006

Merkert Gymnasium, Easton, Mass.

FINAL:SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT 65, STONEHILL 53

EASTON, Mass.-- Sophomores Kate Lynch (Rumford, R.I.) and Shamika Jackson (Manchester, Conn.) combined for 39 points and 15 rebounds as Southern Connecticut collected its 15th victory in its last 17 outings with a 65-53 Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball triumph over ninth-ranked Stonehill in a battle of two of the top-ranked teams in NCAA regional play Saturday afternoon at Merkert Gymnasium.

The two teams combined for 48 points in the first 10-plus minutes of action, but the visiting Owls (18-3, 13-3 Northeast-10) held the host Skyhawks (18-2, 13-2 Northeast-10) scoreless for a 6:34 stretch in taking a 32-25 advantage at the break. Stonehill, which dropped its second straight outing after winning its first 18 of the season, answered back by scoring 12 of the first 16 points after intermission to take a 37-36 lead on a lay-in by junior Alisha Collins (Port Chester, N.Y.), but Southern Connecticut went on a 19-1 run over the next 8:21 of action to open up a 17-point advantage on a Lynch jumper with 5:17 remaining. The Skyhawks closed to within eight points (59-51) with just over a minute to play, but six free throws by Lynch, Jackson and senior Kristi Stolle (Warren, Conn.) iced the triumph for the Owls.

Lynch finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and four steals in the win for Southern Connecticut, ranked third in NCAA Northeast Regional play this week, while Jackson added 19 points, seven boards and three assists. Senior Anabel Perdomo (Lawrence, Mass.) added nine points, nine assists and five steals in the triumph for the Owls, who also received eight points and nine rebounds from junior Babette Noah (Yaounde, Cameroon). The visitors held a 43-29 rebounding advantage, including a 16-1 edge on the offensive glass alone, as Southern Connecticut used a 15-0 edge in second chance points to overcome 20 turnovers and move to within a game in the loss column of the first place Skyhawks in the conference standings.

Collins and junior Kim Morast (Bridgewater, Mass.) each netted 13 points in the setback for Stonehill, the top-ranked team in NCAA Northeast Regional circles, while junior Caitlin Kennedy (Baldwin, N.Y.) added eight points for the Skyhawks, who also received six points, seven rebounds and three blocks from freshman Kelsey Simonds (Bridgewater, Mass.). Junior Tiffany Huggins (Stoughton, Mass.) added six points and three steals for the hosts, who also received six assists from sophomore Erika Stupinski (Topsham, Maine), as Stonehill shot 38 percent from the field but hurt itself with 22 turnovers for the contest.

Stonehill hosts Pace in a key Northeast-10 match-up on Wednesday evening at Merkert Gymnasium beginning at 5:30 p.m., while Southern Connecticut entertains Bentley in a Northeast-10 outing on Wednesday in New Haven, Conn. that also begins at 5:30 p.m.