Worden drained a career-best six three-pointers for a career-high 18 points to lead the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

Career-high from Worden leads Skyhawks back from slow start

WEST HAVEN, Conn. (January 26, 2019) – Stonehill College, ranked No. 7 in this week's D2SIDA East Region rankings, overcame a lights out start from the University of New Haven, ranked ninth in the region, for a key 75-67 triumph in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at Charger Gymnasium this afternoon.

Sophomore Jennifer Worden led four Stonehill players in double figures by connecting on a career-best 6-of-9 three-pointers for a career-high 18 points, while adding six assists, four rebounds, a blocked shot and a steal. She kept the Skyhawks afloat with 12 of her points (4-of-6 from deep) in the first half, while freshman Emily Bramanti netted ten of her 14 points in the second half, including eight during the third period alone, to go with three rebounds and three assists.

Junior Grace Carter and freshman Kayla Raymond also each netted 14 points for Stonehill. Carter hit four threes and dished out six assists, while Raymond made 7-of-15 shots and pulled down seven boards, with two assists and two blocks.

Junior Micah Wormack finished with a game-high 23 points for New Haven, including 16 in the first half, shooting 7-for-11 from the floor and converting 9-of-12 free-throws to go with seven rebounds (five offensive). Senior Alexandria Kerr sparked the Chargers to a ten point lead after a quarter of play by scoring 13 of her 20 points in the first quarter alone, finishing off a double-double with 11 rebounds, four assists and four steals. Junior Kim Talley chipped in with eight points, six boards, two assists and two steals.

New Haven was lights out in the opening ten minutes of the game, hitting 11-of-14 (78.6%) shots from the floor, leading by as much as 13 on two occasions, before taking a ten point lead (28-18) after a quarter of play. Kerr's 13 points and another eight from Wormack keyed the Chargers opening frame. New Haven regained a 12-point cushion with a basket by senior Katia Oge to start the second quarter, and still held that margin (36-24) midway through the quarter.

Bramanti scored eight of her 14 in the third quarter as the Skyhawks started to take control (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

Stonehill responded with a 17-4 run over the next five minutes to grab a lead (41-40) on a three-point play from freshman Isabella Santoro 26-seconds before the intermission. The Skyhawks started the run with six-straight points from three different players, drawing within six after two free-throws by senior Maty Diabate with 4:18 remaining in the half, and then drawing within three (38-35) with a Carter triple with 2:19 left. Trailing by five (40-35), the Skyhawks scored the next six behind a Worden three and the Santoro layup and foul.

New Haven salvaged the lead (42-41) heading into halftime, but Carter opened the second half with a three-pointer and Stonehill would not trail again the rest of the afternoon. After a series of traded baskets and four ties over the first seven minutes of the third quarter, the Skyhawks created some breathing room by outscoring the Chargers 11-3 over the final 2:23 of the frame to take an eight point lead (62-54) heading to the fourth. Worden sparked the closing run with a three, while Bramanti knocked down a pair from deep during that stretch.

Talley opened the fourth quarter scoring for New Haven, but Stonehill followed with another Worden three and a jumper by Raymond to open a double-digit lead (67-56) for the first time 1:31 into the final frame. New Haven closed back within four (67-63) after a Kerr basket with 5:42 to play, but the Skyhawks scored the next six to restore a ten point cushion (73-63) after a layup from junior Gabrielle Reuter with 2:48 remaining, which proved to seal it.

Stonehill (13-5, 8-4 NE10) wraps up its season-long three-game road trip at Pace University on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The Skyhawks return home next Saturday, February 2, to host Adelphi University for their Alumnae Game at 1:30 p.m. New Haven (13-7, 6-6 NE10) visits Franklin Pierce University on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

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