Junior Asia Ewing posted 13 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a steal in today's win over Bridgeport. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane)

Ewing leads balanced effort with 13 points and nine rebounds as Skyhawks hold fourth straight opponent under 50 points

EASTON, Mass. (November 25, 2012) – Stonehill College held the University of Bridgeport, among teams receiving votes in this week's USA Today Sports/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II poll, without a field goal for the first eight and a half minutes and led start to finish for a 60-49 triumph in non-conference women's basketball action at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.

Junior forward Asia Ewing (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) led a balanced Stonehill effort with 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting while converting her lone free-throw attempt to go with nine rebounds, two assists and a steal. Sophomore Amy Pelletier (Beverly, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) also netted 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting off the bench, while freshman Paige Marshall (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) added a season-best ten points on 4-of-5 shooting, including 1-for-2 from three-point range, and converting her lone free-throw try.

Sophomore Tori Faieta (Lynn, Mass./Saint Mary's) finished a point shy of her first career double-double as she pulled down a career-high ten rebounds to go with nine points, on 4-of-6 shooting, and a career-best five assists. Junior Mary Louise Dixon (Wellesley, Mass./Wellesley) chipped in eight points, a season-high matching eight rebounds and seven assists with just one turnover.

Stonehill shot 42.9-percent (27-for-63) from the field, including 43.8% (14-32) in the first half to open a ten point halftime lead. The Skyhawks also posted a 46-32 rebounding advantage and held their fourth-straight opponent under 50 points. Bridgeport, who missed its first 15 field goals in the contest, finished shooting 32.8% (19-58) from the field, including 8-for-31 (25.8%) in the first half, and connected on just 1-of-10 (10%) three-pointers.

Freshman Paige Marshall contributed a season-high ten points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field. (PHOTO BY Bert Lane)

Senior Tanisha Carter (East Hartford, Conn.) led Bridgeport with a game-high 18 points on 6-of-15 shooting from the field while draining all six free-throw attempts to go with three rebounds (two offensive) a blocked shot and a steal. Sophomore Jenna Hoffman (Manchester Center, Vt./Burr & Burton Academy) added 13 points and three rebounds off the bench, while grad student Priscilla Dodoo (Worcester, Mass./Burncoat), a transfer from Stonehill, grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds (six offensive) to go with nine points, three assists and a block.

Stonehill never trailed, staking out a nine point lead (11-2) after a Ewing layup 7:40 into the game. Marshall scored five points for the Skyhawks during that stretch as the hosts took advantage of an 0-for-15 start from the field for Bridgeport. Hoffman broke the ice for the Purple Knights with a layup with 11:32 remaining in the half to draw within seven (11-4).

Stonehill stretched its lead to 13 (21-8) on a layup from Pelletier with 5:47 remaining in the half with Ewing and junior Abbey Lalime (Orleans, Vt./Lake Region Union) adding layups to the quick 6-0 Skyhawks run. Bridgeport closed within eight (23-15) on a Hoffman three-pointer with 3:38 to play in the half and got back within seven (28-21) as Carter made two free-throws with 1:02 remaining. However, Marshall sent the Skyhawks into the locker room with a ten point cushion (31-21) with a three-point play with 36-seconds to go.

Marshall opened the second half with a layup and Faieta drilled a three-pointer to quickly put Stonehill up 15 (36-21) a minute and a half in. Bridgeport closed within nine (38-29) with two Hoffman free-throws with 14:20 to play, but that would prove to be the closest margin the Purple Knights would manage the rest of the way.

Ewing converted a three point play to push the Stonehill lead back to 15 (46-31) with 10:52 left. Bridgeport worked the lead back down to nine (54-45) on a Carter layup with 4:21 to play, but Ewing answered with a layup at the other end to push the lead back into double-figures and the Skyhawks kept the Purple Knights at arms-length the rest of the way.

Stonehill (5-0, 2-0 NE-10), winners of its first five games of the season for the first time since starting 9-0 in 2007-08, returns to action on Wednesday when it hits the road for the first time for a Northeast-10 matchup at the University of Massachusetts Lowell at 5:30 p.m. The Skyhawks return to Merkert Gym next Saturday to host Saint Michael's College at 1:30 p.m. Bridgeport (5-1, 0-0 ECC) travels to LIU-Post next Saturday for its East Coast Conference opener at 1:30 p.m.