Martin posted her third career 20-point game against Maine, leading the Skyhawks with a double-double. (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

Martin marks return for Skyhawks with double-double effort

BANGOR, Maine (October 28, 2017) – Fifth-year senior point guard Kelly Martin (Scituate, Massachusetts/Scituate) marked her return after missing the 2016-17 season to injury with a double-double effort to lead Stonehill College to a 68-49 triumph over Division I University of Maine in a women's basketball exhibition at the Cross Insurance Center today.

Martin and fellow seniors Samantha Hyslip (Westford, Massachusetts/Westford Academy) and Courtney Walsh (Windham, New Hampshire/Central Catholic) all scored in double-figures and nearly outscored Maine themselves as the trio combined for 48 points. Martin led the way with a double-double, as she posted her third 20-plus point game in three tried against the Black Bears, finishing with a game-high 24 points and ten rebounds, while adding five assists and two steals, with no turnovers. She converted all six of her free throws and shot 8-for-17 from the field, including 2-for-5 from three-point distance. Martin, who suffered her season-ending injury the week prior to the start of the 2016-17 season after the Maine exhibition, has averaged 23.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.7 steals in her three career exhibitions against the Black Bears, shooting a combined 51.1-percent from the field (23-for-45), including 9-for-20 (45%) from beyond the arc.

Hyslip added 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, with six rebounds, while Walsh netted ten points and four assists for Stonehill. Sophomore Kelsey Shaw (Bar Harbor, Maine/Mount Desert Island) chipped in eight points, canning 2-of-4 three-pointers, with four rebounds and two assists for the Skyhawks before a hometown crowd.

Hyslip added 14 points and six rebounds for the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

Stonehill didn't yield a double-figure scorer from Maine, with sophomores Blanca Millan (Santiago de Compostela, Spain) and Fanny Wadling (Nacka, Sweden) each netting nine points on 4-of-9 shooting, while Wadling also contributed five rebounds and three steals. The Black Bears were limited to 35.6-percent shooting (21-for-59) for the game, including 26.7% (4-15) in the first quarter and 28.6% (4-14) in the fourth. Stonehill also posted a 42-34 rebounding advantage in the contest.

Stonehill led start to finish, taking a three-point lead (11-8) after the opening quarter, and while Maine pulled even (11-11) two minutes into the second, the Skyhawks responded with seven-straight points for a seven point lead (18-11) after a Walsh three-pointer a minute later. Stonehill led by as much as 14 in the second quarter, before setting for a 12-point halftime lead (35-23).

Maine wouldn't get back within double digits the entire second half, with Stonehill's lead growing to 18 points (48-30) after a Hyslip layup four minutes into the third quarter. The Black Bears pulled within 11 later in the frame, but the Skyhawks restored a 15-point (54-39) lead heading into the fourth after two Hyslip free throws at the end of the third. Stonehill's lead reached 21 (67-46) after a Shaw triple late in the fourth, before peaking at 22 (68-46) after a Hyslip free throw with two minutes to play.

Stonehill officially opens its 2016-17 season in just over two weeks, with a Northeast-10 Conference battle at rival Bentley University on Wednesday, November 15, at 5:30 p.m. The Skyhawks home opener is the following Saturday, November 18, against Saint Michael's College at Merkert Gymnasium at 1:30 p.m. Maine opens its season by hosting Tulane University on Friday, November 10, at 6 p.m.

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