Sophomore Courtney Walsh led the Skyhawks with a career-high 17 points, connecting on 4-of-9 three-pointers. (PHOTO BY Eamonn Grealish) |
Skyhawks rush to 26-point halftime lead; Walsh leads with career-high 17
EASTON, Mass. (November 29, 2015) – Stonehill College, receiving votes in this week's D2SIDA Top 25 poll and ranked fourth in the D2SIDA East Regional poll, raced out to a 26-point halftime lead on its way to a 62-41 triumph over LIU Post in non-conference women's basketball action on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.
Sophomore Courtney Walsh (Windham, New Hampshire/Central Catholic) led Stonehill to its second straight win with a career-high 17 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including 4-for-9 from three-point range, with three assists, a blocked shot and steal. Senior Paige Marshall (Braintree, Massachusetts/Braintree) added 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting, with five assists, while classmate Shannon Brown (Las Vegas, Nevada/Centennial) contributed ten points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field, while converting all four free-throw attempts to go with four rebounds and two steals. Sophomore Elizabeth Grip (Shrewsbury, Massachusetts/Shrewsbury) chipped in with a career-high nine rebounds and a career-best six points.
Senior Nyasia Davis (Rahway, New Jersey/Abraham Clark) was the lone LIU Post player in double-figures for scoring with ten points and three boards, while junior Janaysia James (Perth Amboy, New Jersey/Dean College) pulled down a game-high 16 rebounds (seven offensive), while freshman Shannon Doyle (Hopewell Junction, New York/Arlington) chipped in nine points, six boards, two assists, two blocks and two steals.
Stonehill finished shooting 41.4-percent (24-for-58) from the field, including 53.6% (15-for-28) in the first half in building its 26 point lead. The Skyhawks connected on 6-of-19 (31.6%) three-pointers and posted an 18-11 edge in points off turnovers. LIU Post was limited to 26.3% (15-for-57) shooting, including 2-for-10 (20%) from beyond the arc, shooting just 4-for-24 (16.7%) in the first half. The Pioneers held a 43-39 rebounding edge.
Sophomore Elizabeth Grip grabbed a career-high nine rebounds for the Skyhawks. (PHOTO BY Barry Gutradt) |
Stonehill scored ten of its 20 first quarter points off seven LIU Post turnovers, opening a ten point lead (14-4) with 4:15 left in the opening stanza after four straight free-throws by Brown. Marshall and Brown led the Skyhawks with six points each during the opening quarter, and the hosts lead grew to 12 (20-8) after a Brown jumper with 45-seconds left.
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Stonehill settled for a ten point lead (20-10) at the first quarter break, but quickly pushed its lead to 19 (31-12) with an 11-2 run to open the second, capped by a pair of Grip free-throws with 6:33 remaining in the half. Walsh sparked the run with a pair of three-pointers and scored seven points in all during that stretch. The Skyhawks then scored the final ten points of the quarter to stake their 26 point (41-15) halftime lead. Walsh scored five points during that spell, finishing the first half with 12 points. Stonehill outscored LIU Post 16-2 in points off turnovers in the half, and held a 10-4 edge in points in the paint.
Stonehill's lead never dipped under 20 points the rest of the way, reaching a game-high 29 (55-26) after a jumper from freshman Maty Diabate (Holden, Massachusetts/Wachusett Regional) with 22-seconds left in the third quarter.
Stonehill (4-2, 1-2 NE-10) is right back in action here at Merkert Gym on Wednesday when it hosts Franklin Pierce University, ranked tenth in the region, for a Northeast-10 Conference matchup at 5:30 p.m. LIU Post (0-5, 0-0 ECC) hosts Mercy College for its home and East Coast Conference opener on Wednesday at 5 p.m.
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