Collins Scores 22 Points And Grabs Six Rebounds As 18th-Ranked Women's Basketball Drops 72-55 Northeast-10 Decision To Southern New Hampshire

February 15, 2006

STONEHILL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Merkert Gymnasium, Easton, Mass.

FINAL:SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE 72, STONEHILL 55

EASTON, Mass.-- Senior Chrisondria Griffith (Brockton, Mass.) notched a double-double effort of 16 points and 13 rebounds to lead four players in double figures as Southern New Hampshire closed the game on a 22-5 run in posting a 72-55 Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball victory over 18th-ranked Stonehill Wednesday evening at Merkert Gymnasium.

With the score tied at 50 with 8:05 to play, the visiting Penmen (8-18, 6-15 Northeast-10) raced out to an 11-point edge (62-51) with a 12-1 run over the next four-plus minutes that was capped by a Griffith lay-in, after the host Skyhawks (21-4, 16-4 Northeast-10) closed back to within eight on the ensuing possession, Southern New Hampshire used another quick 10-0 burst to extend its lead to 18 points in the final minute of play, capped by a pair of Griffith free throws with 42 seconds left to close out the scoring and post its first victory over Stonehill since the 1989-90 campaign, as the Skyhawks had won 16 straight games in the series between the schools over that time span.

Sophomore Alex Giannopoulou (Thessaloniki, Greece) and freshman Alyssa Whitney (Somerville, Mass.) each scored 11 points and combined for 14 rebounds in the win for Southern New Hampshire, while sophomore Danielle Graunke (Penfield, N.Y.) added 10 points, six rebounds and four assists in the triumph for the Penmen, who blistered the nets at a 54 percent clip in the final 20 minutes of play. Sophomore Heather Marino (Billerica, Mass.) chipped in with eight points for the visitors, who also received six points and four caroms from sophomore Sara Tucker (Red Hook, N.Y.). Southern New Hampshire, which came into Wednesday's play after posting its first win over Bentley in 16 seasons last Saturday, shot 48 percent from the field overall and held a commanding 52-30 rebounding advantage, including a 17-10 edge on the offensive glass alone.

Junior Alisha Collins (Port Chester, N.Y.) notched her 10th 20-point performance of the season in the setback for Stonehill with 22 points and six rebounds, as the Skyhawks received eight points and seven rebounds from junior Caitlin Kennedy (Baldwin, N.Y.) as well as eight points from freshman Kelsey Simonds (Bridgewater, Mass.). The hosts, who held a 36-35 halftime edge, connected on only 6-of-32 attempts (19 percent) from the field after intermission and shot just 31 percent for the evening.

Stonehill, which trails 19th-ranked Southern Connecticut by a game for first place in the league standings, travels to Springfield, Mass. on Saturday afternoon for a Northeast-10 showdown with 25th-ranked American International beginning at 1:30 p.m. Southern New Hampshire closes out its Northeast-10 regular season slate on Saturday afternoon by hosting Franklin Pierce in a conference clash in Manchester, N.H. at 1:30 p.m.