Collins Scores 21 Points And Grabs Six Rebounds, Kennedy And Methven Combine For 21 Points As 13th-Ranked Women's Basketball Runs Win Streak To Seven Straight With 75-54 Northeast-10 Victory Over Merrimack

January 11, 2007

STONEHILL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Merkert Gymnasium, Easton, Mass.

FINAL: STONEHILL 75, MERRIMACK 54

EASTON, Mass.-- Senior Alisha Collins (Port Chester, N.Y.) scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead three players in double figures as 13th-ranked Stonehill extended its winning streak to seven straight with a 75-54 Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball victory over Merrimack Thursday evening at Merkert Gymnasium.

The host Skyhawks (14-2, 9-2 Northeast-10) jumped out to an early six-point lead and scored 17 unanswered points over a 5:26 span to extend that edge to 21 points at 32-11 on a lay-in by sophomore Bethany Tighe (North Easton, Mass.) with 6:57 remaining in the half, as Stonehill settled for a 38-23 advantage at the break. The hosts jumped out to a pair of 20-point leads early following intermission and pushed that margin to 29 points on a pair of occasions, the last coming with just under six minutes remaining on a lay-in by senior Tiffany Huggins (Stoughton, Mass.), as the visiting Warriors (4-12, 2-9 Northeast-10) got no closer than 16 points in the closing minutes.

Senior Caitlin Kennedy (Baldwin, N.Y.) added 11 points and five boards for the winners, who also received 10 points from freshman Megan Methven (Corning, N.Y.). Tighe finished with eight points for the Skyhawks, who also received seven points and a career-high nine rebounds from junior Daryl Cioffi (New Milford, N.J.), seven points from senior Kim Morast (Bridgewater, Mass.) and six points, six rebounds and seven assists from Huggins. Stonehill shot 46 percent from the field and connected for eight three-pointers, as the Skyhawks held a 41-29 rebounding edge (16-9 on the offensive side) to post their 52nd victory in 59 all-time series meetings between the two teams.

Junior Kara Borelli (Westbrook, Maine) led Merrimack in the scoring column with 15 points, while junior Ashley Brownlee (Portland, Maine) added 12 points and nine boards for the Warriors. Junior Gately Golden (Fair Haven, N.J.) netted 10 points for the visitors, who shot 38 percent from the field but committed 17 turnovers that led to 14 Skyhawk points.

Stonehill travels to Smithfield, R.I. on Saturday afternoon to take on Bryant in a Northeast-10 match-up that begins at 1:30 p.m., while Merrimack heads to Albany, N.Y. on Saturday afternoon to take on Saint Rose in a Northeast-10 contest that also begins at 1:30 p.m.