Kennedy Scores 15 Points And Grabs Eight Rebounds To Lead Trio In Double Figures As 18th-Ranked Women's Basketball's Comeback Fall Short In 71-70 Northeast-10 Setback At 25th-Ranked American International
February 18, 2006
STONEHILL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Butova Gymnasium, Springfield, Mass.
FINAL:AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL 71, STONEHILL 70
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.-- Junior Krystal Pressley (New Haven, Conn.) scored 20 points, including a pair of free throws with 48 seconds remaining that proved to be decisive, to lead 25th-ranked American International to a 71-70 Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball victory over 18th-ranked Stonehill Saturday afternoon at Butova Gymnasium.
The host Yellow Jackets (21-5, 16-5 Northeast-10) were seemingly in control of the contest with 7:26 remaining, as American International held a 63-53 advantage before the visiting Skyhawks (21-5, 16-5 Northeast-10) stormed back with 13 unanswered points over the next 4:33 of play to take a 66-63 lead with 2:53 remaining. The two teams, now tied for second place in the league standings behind Northeast-10 regular season champion Southern Connecticut, traded the lead on three occasions and forged three ties over the next 1:47 of action before Pressley's two free throws with 48 seconds remaining gave the hosts a one-point edge. Stonehill missed a lay-in on its ensuing possession and fouled, but American International was unable to convert the free throw, setting up one final Skyhawk possession with 20 seconds remaining. The visitors had the ball under their basket with 1.2 seconds left, but the Yellow Jackets deflected an inbounds pass and ran out the clock to post their triumph.
Senior Sharmion Selman (Burlington, Vt.) added a double-double effort of 16 points and 10 rebounds in the win for American International, which also received eight points and five boards from freshman Stacy Boisvert (Agawam, Mass.) as well as eight points from freshman Jen Moussette (Southampton, Mass.). The Yellow Jackets connected for eight three-pointers on the afternoon, including four by Pressley, to avenge an earlier 59-54 setback suffered to Stonehill back on January 5th in Easton.
Junior Caitlin Kennedy (Baldwin, N.Y.) scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead three players in double figures for Stonehill, which also received 14 points and five boards from junior Alisha Collins (Port Chester, N.Y.) as well as 11 points and eight caroms from junior Tiffany Huggins (Stoughton, Mass.). Junior Kim Morast (Bridgewater, Mass.) chipped in with nine points and three assists for the Skyhawks, who also received seven points from senior Bethany Roderigue (Winslow, Maine), seven rebounds from freshman Kelsey Simonds (Bridgewater, Mass.) and nine assists and seven boards from sophomore Erika Stupinski (Topsham, Maine). The visitors connected on only 3-of-17 attempts from three-point range despite holding a 43-38 rebounding edge.
Stonehill travels to Worcester, Mass. on Tuesday evening to take on Assumption in its Northeast-10 regular season finale beginning at 5:30 p.m., while American International hosts Bentley in its conference regular season finale on Tuesday evening at Butova Gymnasium that also begins at 5:30 p.m. Both teams can either be the second or third seed in the upcoming Northeast-10 playoffs but can be seeded no lower than third, thus earning a first round bye into the league quarterfinal round on Tuesday, February 28th.