Raymond led the Skyhawks with a season-high 30 points, helping the Skyhawks build first half lead with 16 points (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

Raymond's season-high 30 points keys Skyhawks into first place tie in division

MANCHESTER, N.H. (February 8, 2020) – Stonehill College, ranked No. 6 in this week's D2SIDA East Region poll, moved into a tie for first place in the Northeast-10 Conference's Northeast Division and clinched a first round bye for the upcoming NE10 Tournament with a gutsy 66-63 road win at Saint Anselm College, ranked No. 3 in the D2SIDA East poll, in NE10 women's basketball action inside Stoutenburgh Gymnasium this afternoon.

Stonehill moves into a first-place tie in the NE10 Northeast Division standings, along with Saint Anselm, with four games to play. The Skyhawks currently hold the NE10 tiebreaker for the top seed in the upcoming NE10 Tournament by way of its win over rival Bentley University earlier this week, a team the Hawks wrap up their regular season schedule against on February 25 after dropping a 71-68 decision to in January. Stonehill and Saint Anselm are a game ahead of Bentley after today's results and the Skyhawks were able to lock down a first round bye for the NE10 Tournament, which commences with first round play on Friday, February 28, and quarterfinal round play scheduled for Sunday, March 1. Stonehill is the lone program to qualify for all 39 NE10 Women's Basketball Tournaments since the Conference started sponsoring the championship in 1982. 

Leaders

Stonehill

Kayla Raymond Sophomore, Forward: Season-high 30 points (11-for-22, 4-for-9 threes, 4-for-4 FTs), including 13 of her 16 first half points in the opening quarter, six rebounds, an assist and blocked shot.

Jennifer Worden Junior, Guard: 10 points (4-for-6, 2-for-3 threes), four rebounds, three assists, a steal and blocked shot.

Madison Seymour Junior, Guard: 10 points (4-for-8, 2-for-5 threes), two rebounds.

Gabrielle Reuter Senior, Forward: Six rebounds, four points, two assists and two blocked shots.

Saint Anselm

Payton Steinman Junior, Guard: 25 points (10-for-23), nine rebounds (five offensive), two assists, four steals and a blocked shot.

Shannon Ryan Senior, Forward: Double-double of 21 points (8-for-18, 5-for-8 FTs), 21 rebounds (seven offensive), two assists, two steals and a blocked shot.

How it Happened

• Worden added ten points, four rebounds and three assists (PHOTO BY Peter Buehner)

  Stonehill used a 9-0 run with under three minutes to play that responded to Saint Anselm taking its first lead since the opening quarter (58-55), on a three-point play from Ryan, to regain the lead for good and extend it to six (64-58) with 26-seconds remaining.
• Sophomore Emily Bramanti keyed the run with a pair of layups, while Raymond buried a three-pointer to push the Skyhawks in front (60-58) with 1:31 remaining.
• Steinman pulled Saint Anselm back within a possession (64-61) with the Hawks lone three-point field goal of the afternoon (1-for-18). The Hawks had a chance to pull closer after Stonehill missed two free-throws, but Reuter got key block and then Raymond sealed the win with two free-throws, before the Hawks salvaged a late layup for the final scoreline.
• Stonehill scored the last six points of the first quarter, including four by Raymond who netted 13 first quarter points, with the game deadlocked at 9-9 to take the lead (15-9) into the second after a Seymour steal and layup in the closing seconds.
• Stonehill extended the run to 15-0 to open a 15-point cushion (24-9) after three-straight three-pointers by Seymour, Worden and Raymond to open the second quarter.
• A second Seymour triple stretched the Stonehill lead to 16 (27-11) with 7:24 to play in the first half, when Saint Anselm responded with ten-straight, including six by Ryan, to close back within six (27-21) after a Ryan layup with 2:51 to play in the half.
• Stonehill was able to restore a ten-point lead (34-24) at the half on a Worden three and then led by 15 (42-27) on a Raymond basket two minutes into the third quarter.
• Saint Anselm used a 14-4 run to close back within four (49-45) after a layup inside by senior Julia Thissell with 2:26 remaining in the third.
• Stonehill carried a six-point lead (51-45) into the fourth and Raymond opened the quarter with a basket to stretch the lead to eight with 9:42 to play.
• Saint Anselm used a 13-2 run, including six from Ryan, to grab its first lead (58-55) since the opening quarter after a Ryan three-point play with three minutes to play and set up the finish.

Noteworthy

• Stonehill are now winners of a season-high five straight and nine of ten since the New Year to take its position atop the NE10's Northeast Division.
• Stonehill caps a 2-0 week against its main competition in the division, Bentley (65-55 on Wednesday) and Saint Anselm, avenging first half losses to the two during the Skyhawks first trip through the division.
• Stonehill finished shooting 43.1-percent (25-for-58) from the field, including 9-for-21 (42.9%) from three, compared to 37.7% (26-69) by Saint Anselm, including 1-for-18 (5.6%) beyond the arc.
• Raymond's season-high scoring effort marks her second career 30-point game, giving her 20-plus for the fifth time this season (13 career). She has now scored in double-figures nine-straight games, with 20-plus in five of the last seven.

Up Next

Stonehill (16-5, 12-3 NE10) looks to keep its hot streak going on Wednesday, when it visits Franklin Pierce University for an NE10 matchup at 5:30 p.m. The Skyhawks return to Merkert Gymnasium next Saturday, February 15, to host Assumption College for its Play4Kay Game at 1:30 p.m. Saint Anselm (16-5, 12-3 NE10) hosts Southern New Hampshire University on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

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