Martin scored 16 of her team-high 20 points in the second half as the Skyhawks erased a 17-point first half deficit. (PHOTO BY Barry Gutradt) |
Martin leads Skyhawks back from 17-point deficit, with 20 points
WALTHAM, Mass. (November 15, 2017) – Bentley University, ranked No. 6 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II preseason poll, held off a big third quarter rally from Stonehill College, to claim an 84-73 victory in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at the Dana Athletic Center tonight.
Junior Victoria Lux (Arundel, Maine/Thornton Academy) led three Bentley players in double-figures with game-high totals of 24 points and 21 rebounds, shooting 10-for-15 from the floor, to go with two blocked shots. She totaled 14 points and 13 boards in the second half alone. Postgrad Becca Musgrove (Plainview, New York/St. Anthony's) added 19 points, on 8-of-16 shooting, with five assists, while freshman Marissa Fontaine (Franklin, Massachusetts/Bishop Feehan) contributed 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 3-for-5 from three-point distance off the bench, with two assists.
Fifth-year senior guard Kelly Martin (Scituate, Massachusetts/Scituate) scored 16 of her team-high 20 points in the second half for Stonehill, including 11 points in a 29-point third quarter which saw the Skyhawks rally from a 13-point halftime deficit to within a pair (54-52) heading into the final frame. She also finished with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals, and moves within 43 points of becoming the program's 30th 1,000-point scorer.
Senior Samantha Hyslip (Westford, Massachusetts/Westford Academy) recorded her eighth career double-double with 15 points and a team-high ten rebounds, while dishing out two assists. Sophomore Kelsey Shaw (Bar Harbor, Maine/Mount Desert Island) rounded out the Skyhawks in double-figures with 11 points and four boards, while senior Elizabeth Grip (Shrewsbury, Massachusetts/Shrewsbury) chipped in with five blocked shots.
Hyslip posted her eighth career double-double for the Skyhawks tonight (PHOTO BY Barry Gutradt) |
Bentley scored the first eight points of the contest, including four by Lux, on its way to a 19-2 lead after a three-pointer by senior Trevena Bennett (Union, New Jersey/Gill St. Bernard's) after eight minutes of the first quarter. The Falcons carried a 14-point lead (23-9) into the second quarter and Stonehill edged the hosts by a point in the frame (14-13) to stay within 13 (36-23) at the half.
Bentley's lead was 15 (44-29) after a layup from senior Lauren Green (Damascus, Maryland/Damascus) three minutes into the third quarter, when Hyslip sparked a nine-point Stonehill run to draw within six (44-38) after two Martin free-throws mid-way through the frame. Sophomore Gabrielle Reuter (Plymouth, Massachusetts/Lawrence Academy) drew the Skyhawks within four (48-44) with four minutes remaining, and then classmate Grace Carter (Arlington, Massachusetts/Arlington) buried two three-pointers to cut the gap to two (54-52) heading into the fourth.
A three-point play from Hyslip put Stonehill in front for the first time all night (55-54) a minute into the fourth. Sophomore Morgan O'Brien (Clifton Park, New York/Shenendehowa) gave the Skyhawks another lead (59-58) with seven minutes remaining, after Bentley had scored four straight to claim a three-point edge.
Fontaine bookended an 8-0 Bentley run with a pair of three-pointers as the Falcons grabbed the lead back for good and claim a seven-point edge (66-59) with 5:43 to play. Stonehill was able to climb back within four (66-62) with a Shaw triple with 5:25 to go, but would get no closer as the Falcons were able to extend the lead out again down the stretch, resulting in the final 11-point spread.
Stonehill (0-1, 0-1 NE10) opens its home schedule on Saturday, when it hosts Saint Michael's College for an NE10 matchup at 1:30 p.m. Bentley (3-0, 1-0 NE10) is off until next Tuesday, when it visits Assumption College for an NE10 contest at 5:30 p.m.
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