Women's Basketball Fires Past AIC, 82-50

 

Walsh drained seven three-pointers on her way to a career-high 28 points tonight. (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

Walsh continues hot streak with seven more three-pointers on way to career-high 28 points

EASTON, Mass. (January 3, 2018) – Stonehill College, receiving votes in this week's Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II poll and ranked No. 5 in the D2SIDA East Region poll, shot over 56-percent from the field, while holding American International College under 30-percent, for an 82-50 triumph in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium tonight.

Senior guard Courtney Walsh (Windham, New Hampshire/Central Catholic) buried seven three-pointers for the second-straight game on her way to a career-high 28 points. She made 10-of-12 shots from the floor overall, including 7-of-9 from beyond the arc, to go with three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Classmate Samantha Hyslip (Westford, Massachusetts/Westford Academy) notched her sixth double-double of the season (13th career) with 12 points and a game-high ten rebounds, leading the Skyhawks to a commanding 43-23 advantage on the glass. She made all six free-throw attempts and added a season-best five assists and two blocked shots on the night.

Sophomore Kelsey Shaw (Bar Harbor, Maine/Mount Desert Island) contributed 12 points, four rebounds and two steals for Stonehill, while classmate Grace Carter (Arlington, Massachusetts/Arlington) chipped in eight points, three boards, four assists and three steals. Junior Tayler Wornum (Randolph, Massachusetts/Archbishop Williams) pulled down a season-high matching seven boards.


Hyslip posted her sixth double-double of the season for the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY SportsPix)

Junior Dana Watts (Rochester, New York/Rush-Henrietta) paced AIC with 14 points, four rebounds (three offensive) and two blocked shots. Sophomore Rashana Siders (Waterbury, Connecticut/Holy Cross) was the only other Yellow Jacket in double-figures with 11 points.

Stonehill scored the first 18 points of the game, holding American International without a field goal over the opening eight and a half minutes to stake out a 22-point lead (24-2) with 1:53 remaining in the first quarter. Walsh netted ten points in the opening frame, connecting on her first four shots of the game, including a pair of threes.

Stonehill carried a 20 point lead (26-6) into the second quarter before American International opened the frame with an 11-2 run to cut the gap to nine (28-19) after a three-pointer by freshman Ishanna Brown (Springfield, Massachusetts/Springfield Central) 4:18 in. The Yellow Jackets crept back within four (30-26) on a Siders layup with 2:54 to play in the half, but the Skyhawks scored the final seven points of the half, sparked by a Shaw three-pointer, to regain an 11-point lead (37-26) at the intermission.

Stonehill started the second half strong, using a 21-3 run to open a 29-point cushion (58-29) with 3:27 remaining. Walsh keyed the run with three from long distance, scoring ten points in all, while senior Elizabeth Grip (Shrewsbury, Massachusetts/Shrewsbury) netted six points. The Skyhawks wouldn't be threatened again, taking a 27-point lead (65-38) into the fourth quarter on their way to as much as a 39-point gap (82-43) in the closing minutes.

Stonehill (11-2, 7-1 NE10) is off until next Wednesday, January 10, when it visits The College of Saint Rose for an NE10 matchup at 5:30 p.m. The Skyhawks return to Merkert Gym in two weeks when it hosts Le Moyne College at 5:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at stonehillskyhawks.com. AIC (7-8, 1-6 NE10) visits Saint Michael's College on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.