Junior Kelly Martin paced the Skyhawks with 18 points, eight rebounds and three assists. (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner) |
Martin paces Skyhawks with 18 points, eight rebounds
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (January 20, 2016) – Stonehill College put an end to its longest drought in 11 years with a huge 56-49 victory at Adelphi University, ranked fifth in this week's D2SIDA East Regional poll, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at the Center for Recreation and Sport tonight.
Junior guard Kelly Martin (Scituate, Massachusetts/Scituate) paced Stonehill to its first win of 2016 with a game-high 18 points on 6-of-16 shooting, including 4-for-9 from three-point range, while converting both free-throw attempts to go with a game-high matching eight rebounds and three assists. Senior Paige Marshall (Braintree, Massachusetts/Braintree) was the only other Skyhawks player in double figures with ten points on 5-of-9 shooting, four assists and three steals. Classmate Shannon Brown (Las Vegas, Nevada/Centennial) chipped in eight points, while freshman Maty Diabate (Holden, Massachusetts/Wachusett Regional) pulled down eight boards (four offensive) with six points.
Junior Sierra Clark (Hughesville, Maryland/Archbishop Spalding) led Adelphi with 16 points off the bench on 7-of-13 shooting from the field, with six rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal. Postgrad Ashley Gomez (Brooklyn, New York/Murry Bergtraum) added 12 points, connecting on 2-of-3 three-pointers, with eight rebounds, while senior Samantha Brenner (Nashua, New Hampshire/New Hampton Prep) registered ten points on 5-of-9 shooting with four rebounds and four blocked shots.
Senior Paige Marshall chipped in ten points, four assists and three steals. (PHOTO BY Barry Gutradt) |
Stonehill shot 42.1-percent from the field (24-for-57) for the evening, including 46.4% (13-28) in the first half, connecting on just 4-of-17 (23.5%) three-pointers, but converting all four free-throws (all of which came in the final minute to seal the win.) The Skyhawks took advantage of 21 Adelphi turnovers, while committing only 15 themselves, while the Panthers held a 34-32 rebounding edge. Adelphi was limited to 41.5% (22-for-53) shooting from the floor, including 3-for-12 (25%) from beyond the arc, canning just 2-of-5 free-throws.
Stonehill led by six (37-31) after a layup from Diabate midway through the third quarter, however Adelphi scored the final seven points of frame to take the lead (38-37) into the fourth quarter after a Gomez three-pointer with 1:11 remaining. Clark made two free-throws to push the Panthers lead to three (40-37) two minutes into the final frame, but Martin halted a nearly eight minute scoring drought for Stonehill with a tying three with 7:33 remaining.
The teams traded baskets until Stonehill scored six straight over a two minute span to regain a six point cushion (50-44) after a Brown jumper with 3:34 on the clock. The Panthers ended a four and a half minute drought of their own with a triple by senior Lauren Nuss (Garden City, New York/Christ the King) to cut the gap to three (50-47) with 1:10 left. The Skyhawks wouldn't allow Adelphi any closer as Marshall answered the three with a basket at the other end before Martin and Brown both drilled a pair of free-throws to clinch the win.
Stonehill held a pair of seven point leads in the second quarter which proved to be the largest gap for either team on the night before settling for a five point halftime edge (28-23). The Skyhawks scored ten straight points to claim their first seven point cushion (26-19) after a basket from sophomore Kate Ross (Providence, Rhode Island/The Lincoln School) with 2:36 to play in the half.
Stonehill (9-9, 4-8 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday when it hosts American International College, ranked 18th in this week's D2SIDA Top 25 poll and receiving votes in the USA TODAY Sports/WBCA Division II poll, on its Alumnae Day at Merkert Gymnasium at 1:30 p.m. Adelphi (13-6, 6-5 NE-10) visits Merrimack College on Saturday at 1 p.m.
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