Junior Kelly Martin scored 12 of her 19 points in the second half to help lift the Skyhawks past Franklin Pierce. (PHOTO BY Eamonn Grealish) |
Fourth quarter surge leads Skyhawks to third straight win as Martin nets 19
EASTON, Mass. (December 2, 2015) – Stonehill College, ranked fifth in this week's D2SIDA East Regional poll, rallied from a double-digit first half deficit, keyed by strong fourth quarter defense, to claim a 71-70 decision over Franklin Pierce University in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium tonight.
Junior guard Kelly Martin (Scituate, Massachusetts/Scituate) led five Stonehill players in double-figures, scoring 12 of her 19 points in the second half, aided by an 11-for-13 effort at the free-throw line to go with five rebounds, two assists and three steals. Sophomore Samantha Hyslip (Westford, Massachusetts/Westford Academy) added a season-high 13 points (nine first half) on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, while converting 5-of-6 free-throws, with four rebounds and three assists, while senior Paige Marshall (Braintree, Massachusetts/Braintree) was one of three Skyhawks with ten points, shooting 5-for-8 from the floor, two assists and a steal. Classmate Shannon Brown (Las Vegas, Nevada/Centennial) registered a season-high matching ten points and five boards, with freshman Maty Diabate (Holden, Massachusetts/Wachusett Regional) chipping in ten points, converting all six free-throws, five rebounds, a blocked shot and steal.
Senior Natalie Bastian (Branford, Connecticut/Sacred Heart Academy) scored a game-high 26 points to lead Franklin Pierce, shooting 11-for-16 from the floor, including 3-for-6 from three-point distance, with four rebounds and three assists. Junior Jasmyne Fogle (Bridgeport, Connecticut/Kolbe Catholic) added 12 points, six boards and four assists, while sophomore Jemma Thacker (Aldgate, Australia) chipped in ten points, connecting on 3-of-5 three's, with two blocked shots.
Sophomore Samantha Hyslip added 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. (PHOTO BY Eamonn Grealish) |
Stonehill shot just 36.4-percent from the field (20-for-55) for the contest, but connected at 47.8% (11-for-23) in the second half, and converted at 87.1% (27-for-31) from the free-throw line, including 19-20 (95%) in the second half. The Skyhawks held a 15-4 advantage in points off turnovers, committing just nine on the night, while posting a 35-31 rebounding edge to help produce an 11-0 lead in second chance points. Franklin Pierce shot 49.2% (29-59) from the floor, including 52% (13-25) in the second half, and connected at 44.4% (8-18) from beyond the arc, while going just 4-for-7 (57.1%) from the line.
Franklin Pierce opened a 12 point lead (33-21) four minutes into the second quarter after a three-point play from Bastian. That capped a run of nine straight points for the Ravens, four coming from junior Alison Palma (Stamford, Connecticut/Trinity Catholic). Stonehill started chipping away and was back within seven (36-29) at the half.
Thacker opened the second half with a three-pointer to restore a ten point lead for Franklin Pierce (39-29). The Ravens lead was still seven (42-25) after a Dyamond Gardner (Cambridge, Massachusetts/Cambridge Rindge & Latin) triple three and a half minutes into the third quarter. Stonehill clawed back within three after two free-throws by Diabate midway through the quarter, which were answered by a pair of Fogle free-throws for Franklin Pierce.
|
|
Stonehill scored six straight points to take its first lead since the opening minutes after two more Diabate free-throws with 3:14 to play in the stanza. The teams battled back and forth for the remainder of the quarter, which ended in a 53-53 deadlock. Franklin Pierce pushed in front again to start the fourth quarter, claiming a five point lead with a 7-2 start after a Palma layup two minutes in.
Stonehill outscored Franklin Pierce 13-2 over the next seven minutes to claim control with a six point lead (68-62) with 1:48 left following two straight baskets by Marshall after Martin had given the Skyhawks a lead they wouldn't relinquish with a three-pointer with 5:37 remaining. Stonehill fended the Ravens off the rest of the way, with two Martin free-throws with 18-seconds on the clock sealing its third straight win.
Stonehill (5-2, 2-2 NE-10) returns to action here at Merkert Gym on Saturday when it hosts Saint Michael's College for an NE-10 matchup at 1:30 p.m. Franklin Pierce (2-3, 1-3 NE-10) visits 16th-ranked Assumption College on Saturday at 1 p.m.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter and Facebook.