Senior Mary Louise Dixon scored all 21 of her game-high point total in the second half, shooting 5-for-5 from three-point range over the final 20 minutes, to lead the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix)

Dixon leads Skyhawks rally with 21 second half points 

EASTON, Mass. (December 4, 2013) – Stonehill College, ranked 14^th in this week's USA TODAY Sports Division II coaches' poll, erased a five point halftime deficit in claiming a 79-68 victory over Assumption College, among teams receiving votes nationally in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at Merkert Gymnasium tonight.

Senior Mary Louise Dixon (Wellesley, Mass./Wellesley) scored all 21 of her game-high point total in the second half to lead Stonehill's second half surge as she hit 5-of-6 three-pointers for the night and connected on all six free-throw attempts to go with five rebounds, five assists and a steal. Junior Tori Faieta (Lynn, Mass./Saint Mary's) added 14 points (ten first half) on 6-of-10 shooting with a team-best nine rebounds, two assists and three blocked shots.

Junior Ashley Gendron (Auburn, N.H./Manchester Memorial) contributed a season-high 11 points with six rebounds and three assists, while freshman Kelly Martin (Scituate, Mass./Scituate) chipped in 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting, including her lone three-point attempt, and converting all four free-throws to go with a season-high matching six rebounds, two assists and a steal off the bench.

Stonehill shot 52.2-percent (12-for-23) from the field in the second half, including 8-for-12 (66.7%) from three-point range, to finish at 48.1% (26-54) overall, 10-for-23 (43.5%) from beyond the arc. The Skyhawks also converted 17-of-21 (81%) free-throw attempts and recorded a 36-32 rebounding edge which resulted in a 16-10 advantage in second chance points.

Junior Tori Faieta contributed 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix)

Junior Caitlin Ackerman (Nashua, N.H./Nashua South) led four Assumption players in double-figures with a double-double effort of 17 points and a game-high ten rebounds (five offensive) with three assists while shooting 7-for-12 from the field. Senior Shannon Ray (Yonkers, N.Y./Ursuline Academy) added 15 points on 7-of-16 shooting with four steals, two assists and two blocked shots, while classmate Jamie Insel (Clinton, N.J./Voorhees) contributed 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting, seven rebounds and six assists. Freshman Morgan O'Brien (Reading, Mass./Reading) chipped in 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 1-for-2 from long distance, and three rebound off the bench.

Assumption finished shooting 47.5-percent (28-for-59) from the field, including 3-for-14 (21.4%) from three-point distance, after being limited to 39.4% (13-33) in the second half, including 1-for-6 from long range. The Greyhounds, who shot 57.7% (15-26) from the floor in the first half, converted just 9-of-14 (64.3%) free-throw attempts for the night.

Assumption led by five (36-31) at the half and bumped the advantage to a game-high seven with an Insel layup on the first possession of the second half. The Greyhounds lead was still seven (43-36) after a Ray three-pointer three-minutes into the frame. Stonehill used a 12-4 run to regain the lead (48-47) with a Gendron jumper with 9:47 remaining. Dixon sparked the run with a three-pointer, followed by another long distance make from junior Amy Pelletier (Beverly, Mass./Bishop Fenwick).

The teams traded the lead back and forth until Dixon drilled a three-pointer to put Stonehill in front for good (54-51), breaking the tenth tie of the contest, with 7:49 left. The Skyhawks extended their lead to nine (67-61) with 3:35 on the clock after back to back three's by sophomore Shannon Brown (Las Vegas, Nev./Centennial) and Dixon. Assumption closed within six (72-66) after a Ray jumper with 1:38 remaining, but Stonehill held steady and made 7-of-8 free-throws, including 6-for-6 from Dixon down the stretch to seal its second-straight win.

Assumption came out in front after a first half which featured eight ties and eight lead changes. Stonehill led by five (23-18) after a Faieta layup midway through the half and then 29-24 on a Gendron jumper with 6:09 on the clock. Assumption responded with a 12-2 run to close out the half, keyed by four points from Ray and O'Brien.

Stonehill (6-2, 3-1 NE-10) is right back in action here at Merkert Gym on Saturday to host Southern New Hampshire University for a Northeast-10 matchup at 1:30 p.m. Assumption (4-4, 1-4 NE-10) travels to Merrimack College on Saturday at 1 p.m.

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