Women's Basketball Rolls Past Goldey-Beacom in Opener, 86-61


Sophomore Courtney Walsh led the Skyhawks with 16 points on 4-of-5 shooting from three-point range and five assists. (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

Walsh and Martin each net 16 to lead Skyhawks to victory 

WORCESTER, Mass. (November 13, 2015) – Stonehill College, among teams receiving votes in the USA TODAY Sports/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II poll, shot over 50-percent from the field to cruise to an 86-61 season-opening victory over Goldey-Beacom College in non-conference women's basketball action on day one of the Assumption College Tip-Off Classic at Laska Gymnasium tonight.

Junior Kelly Martin (Scituate, Massachusetts/Scituate) and sophomore Courtney Walsh (Windham, New Hampshire/Central Catholic) combined for 32 points to lead five Stonehill players in double-figures in the win. Walsh scored a career-high 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 4-for-5 from three-point range, to go with four rebounds and five assists with no turnovers, while Martin matched with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 3-for-6 from three-point distance, and four rebounds.

Senior Paige Marshall (Braintree, Massachusetts/Braintree) added 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting, six rebounds and four assists, while sophomore Samantha Hyslip (Westford, Massachusetts/Westford Academy) chipped in ten points on 4-of-8 shooting, a team-high eight rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots. Freshman Maty Diabate (Holden, Massachusetts/Wachusett Regional) recorded 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, with five boards off the bench in her collegiate debut.

Stonehill finished shooting 52.2-percent (36-for-69) from the field, including 57.1% (20-35) in the opening half, to claim the win. The Skyhawks made 8-of-18 (44.4%) three-pointers, including 6-for-12 (50%) in the first half. Stonehill also notched an 18-8 edge in points off turnovers, committing just eight turnovers themselves, and turned a 46-25 advantage in rebounds into a 17-8 edge in points off turnovers.


Junior Kelly Martin also netted 16 points, shooting 6-for-9 from the field. (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

Sophomore Lexi Bruno (Millville, New Jersey/Millville) led Goldey-Beacom with a game-high 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, with four assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Classmate Mikila Stefanski (Hammonton, New Jersey/Cedar Creek) was the only other Lightning in double-figures with 14 points, connecting on 4-of-7 three-pointers with three rebounds.

Stonehill raced out to a 24-9 lead after the first quarter as it scored the first 15 points of the game, including five each from Walsh and Marshall. The Skyhawks lead stretched to 18 (21-3) on a Marshall layup with 3:18 left. The Skyhawks held the 15 point (24-9) first quarter lead and then pushed it to 20 (34-14) when Martin made one of two at the line three minutes in.

Stonehill stretched its lead to 27 (46-19) with 2:30 left in the second quarter after a Marshall jumper before settling on the 50-28 halftime lead. Goldey-Beacom trimmed its deficit to 15 (52-37) less than three minutes into the third quarter after a jumper by sophomore Britani Bryson (Hampton, Virginia/Bethel). The Skyhawks held there and pushed the lead back to 20 (61-41) with a Walsh three-pointer three minutes later.

Stonehill took a 19 point lead into the fourth quarter and then scored the first 12 points of the final stanza to open a 31 point lead (77-46) after a Hyslip free-throw with six minutes to go and the Skyhawks weren't threatened again.

Stonehill (1-0, 0-0 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday for day two of the Assumption Tip-Off Classic as it faces Dominican (N.Y.) College at 4:30 p.m. The Chargers dropped a 68-58 decision to host Assumption in tonight's second game. Goldey-Beacom (0-1, 0-0 CACC) will square off against Assumption tomorrow at 6:30 p.m.

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