Sophomore Amy Pelletier netted a career-high 20 points in 23 minutes off the bench to lead the Skyhawks past Goldey-Beacom tonight. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane)

Pelletier nets career-high 20 points off the bench as Skyhawks open Tip-Off Tournament with win
Assumption edges Caldwell in game one, 64-60 (OT)

EASTON, Mass. (November 16, 2012) – Stonehill College doubled up Goldey-Beacom College at the half and extended the lead further down the stretch to claim a comfortable 79-42 victory in non-conference women's basketball action to cap day one of the 2012 Stonehill Tip-Off Classic at Merkert Gymnasium tonight.

Sophomore Amy Pelletier (Beverly, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) led the way for Stonehill with a career-high 20 points (11 second half) in just 23 minutes off the bench as she canned 8-of-11 shots from the field, including 4-for-5 from three-point range, to go with three rebounds. Classmate Tori Faieta (Lynn, Mass./Saint Mary's) added a season-best 13 points (ten first half) on 6-of-13 shooting with a career-high nine rebounds (five offensive), two blocked shots and two assists.

Junior Mary Louise Dixon (Wellesley, Mass./Wellesley) rounded out the double-figure scorers for Stonehill with 13 points, seven assists, five rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. Freshman Paige Marshall (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) contributed eight points, five assists and two steals, while sophomore Ashley Gendron (Auburn, N.H./Manchester Memorial) chipped in with a career-best seven boards, four assists, four points, two blocks and two steals off the bench.

Sophomore Tori Faieta scored ten of her 13 points in the first half and added a game and career-high nine rebounds. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane)

Senior Akilah Sewell (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore City College) led Goldey-Beacom with ten points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Classmate Irene Hudson (Syracuse, N.Y./Corcoran) was the only other double-figure scorer for the Lightning with ten points on 4-of-6 shooting, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Stonehill shot 48.5-percent (33-for-68) from the field, including 58.1% (18-31) in the second half, and connected on 8-of-18 three-pointers (44.4%) for the night. The Skyhawks finished with a 46-37 rebounding advantage, resulting in a 19-8 edge in second chance points, while they also took advantage of 19 Goldey-Beacom miscues for a 23-8 difference in points off turnovers. Stonehill's bench also outscored the Lightning reserves 33-15.

Goldey-Beacom was held to 28.3% (17-for-60) shooting, including 8-for-30 (26.7%) in the first half, and came up empty on seven shots from three point range.

Stonehill used an 11-0 run midway through the first half to break an 11-11 tie in favor of an 11 point lead (22-11) after a jumper from Faieta with 9:23 to play in the frame. Junior Abbey Lalime (Orleans, Vt./Lake Region Union) sparked the run with a three-pointer, while Pelletier hit back to back triples during that stretch as well.

Goldey-Beacom closed within seven (22-15) with 8:23 left in the half on back to back baskets from Briana Richmond-Peters (Camden, N.J./Brimm Medical Arts). Stonehill went on to outscore the Lightning 16-4 over the rest of the half, including a closing 12-2 run in the final 5:43 to take a 19 point lead (38-19) into the intermission. Gendron and Faieta both netted four points during that closing run for the Skyhawks.

Stonehill kept the pressure on in the second half, running its lead to 26 (49-23) after a Marshall three just under five minutes into the final half. The Skyhawks lead reached 30 points (58-28) with 11:24 to play after six straight points from Dixon and then hit 35 (69-34) after an Asia Ewing (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) layup with 6:52 on the clock. The final 37 point winning margin was the high water mark for the contest.

Stonehill (2-0, 1-0 NE-10) is right back in action tomorrow for day two of the Tip-Off Classic against Caldwell College (1-3, 0-0 CACC) at 3:30 p.m. The Cougars dropped a 64-60 decision to Assumption College (2-0, 1-0 NE-10) in tonight's opening game. Goldey-Beacom (3-1, 0-0 CACC) and Assumption will play tomorrow at 1:30 p.m.

Senior Katy Howard (Medway, Mass./Medway) led Assumption with 13 points, shooting 3-for-6 from three-point range, to go with six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Junior Jeanette Anderson (Lynn, Mass./Lynn English) led Caldwell with a game-high 26 points and 15 rebounds (six offensive), hitting 12-of-18 shots from the field.