Stonehill Defense Strong in Win at Bloomfield, 47-43


Freshman Asia Ewing posted her first career double-double to lead the Skyhawks past Bloomfield. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane) 

Ewing double-double leads Skyhawks to post holiday win

BLOOMFIELD, N.J. (December 29, 2010) – Stonehill College returned to action for the first time in three weeks and claimed a 47-43 decision over Bloomfield College in a non-conference women's basketball matchup at Bloomfield Gym tonight.

Freshman forward Asia Ewing (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) led the way for Stonehill with her first career double-double by registering a team-high 11 points as well as a season-best 11 rebounds to go with two blocked shots off the bench. Senior Emily Rousseau (Biddeford, Maine/Biddeford) added ten points and four assists, while sophomore Anna Griffin (Fairfax, Va./W.T. Woodson) chipped in with eight points and six boards.

Senior Tiffany McDaniel (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) led Bloomfield with a double-double effort of 16 points and 13 rebounds (seven offensive) with two blocked shots. Sophomore Shaniqua Bacote (Patterson, N.J./Passaic County Tech) added seven points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals, while junior Vanessa Lamison (Laurel, Md./Frederick Douglas) posted seven points, seven boards and three steals.


Senior Emily Rousseau added ten points in the win and has made her last 35 free-throw attempts. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane)

Stonehill held Bloomfield to 25-percent (17-for-68) shooting from the field, including 6-for-33 (18.2%) in the second half in erasing an eight point halftime deficit. The Deacons shot just 1-for-11 (9.1%) from three-point range on the night. The Skyhawks overcame 22.7% (5-for-22) shooting in the first half by making 42.9% (12-28) of their shots in the second to finish shooting 34% for the night. Bloomfield was also hindered by 8-for-18 (44.4%) shooting at the free-throw line.

Stonehill overcame a slow first half in which it trailed by as much as 13 to claim the win. The Skyhawks were down eight at halftime (24-16) and scored the first four points of the second half to trim the deficit to four (24-20) with baskets by Rousseau and Smith. Bloomfield regained a seven point cushion (27-20) 2:09 into the half, but Stonehill posted an 8-2 clip to draw within a point (29-28) after three-straight jumpers by Rousseau with 15 minutes left.

The Bloomfield lead was three (33-30) when sophomore Iliriana Lulgjuraj (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) made one of two at the line midway through the half. Stonehill took over, starting with another 8-2 run over the next two minutes to take a three-point lead (38-35) on a three-point play by Ewing.

Stonehill pushed its lead to five (42-37) on a Ewing layup with 4:38 to play, but Bloomfield answered with a three-pointer by sophomore Dre'Shonda Williams (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) with 3:48 left. The Skyhawks held the Deacons at bay with just one field goal the rest of the way and sealed the win with two free-throws from Rousseau in the closing seconds, extending her streak to 35 consecutive made.

Bloomfield jumped out to a 12-3 lead after a Lamison layup just over four minutes into the game to cap a 10-0 run. The Deacons lead grew to 13 (18-5) following a layup from Lulgjuraj with 8:05 remaining in the half.

Stonehill (7-4, 2-4 NE-10) is back in action next Wednesday, January 5, when it returns home to host Southern Connecticut State University for a conference clash at 5:30 p.m. Bloomfield (4-5, 2-0 CACC) hosts Felician College for a CACC clash next Tuesday at 6 p.m.