Reuter leads Skyhawks to 12^th NE10 Championship game with 16 points

Reuter scored 12 of her team-high 16 points in the second half to lead the Skyhawks back to the NE10 Championship (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

EASTON, Mass. (March 5, 2020) – Northeast Division top-seeded Stonehill College, ranked No. 25 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and D2SIDA Top 25 polls, surged to a 12-point lead after three quarters of play and held off Southwest No. 2 Le Moyne College down the stretch to secure a 55-53 victory in semifinal round action of the 2020 Northeast-10 Conference Women's Basketball Tournament on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium tonight.

Stonehill (22-5, 16-3 NE10), ranked No. 2 in this week's NCAA Division II East Regional rankings, advances to the NE10 Championship game for the 12^th time in program history, where it will host Northeast No. 2 Saint Anselm College (21-6, 15-4 NE10) at Merkert Gym on Sunday at 1 p.m. Saint Anselm advanced with a 70-59 victory over Southwest No. 1 and No. 8/5 Adelphi University (27-3, 17-2 NE10) in tonight's other semifinal in Garden City, New York. Le Moyne, ranked No. 5 in this week's NCAA East Regional rankings, figures to extend its season in the NCAA Tournament next week. 

Leaders

Stonehill

Gabrielle Reuter Senior, Forward: 16 points (8-for-17), including 12 in the second half, with six rebounds (five offensive), five assists and three blocked shots.

Kayla Raymond Sophomore, Forward: 11 points (5-for-11), six rebounds and a block.

Kelsey Shaw Senior, Guard: 7 points, five rebounds and two assists.

Sophie Glidden Sophomore, Forward: Nine rebounds (four offensive).

Le Moyne

Liz Millea Junior, Guard: 15 points (6-for-15, 3-for-5 threes), including ten in the second half, and two assists.

McKayla Roberts Senior, Guard: 12 points, two rebounds and three assists.

Colleen Corcoran Senior, Forward: 11 points (5-for-10), nine rebounds and an assist.

How it Happened

• Raymond scored the Skyhawks first seven points and battled through foul trouble to add 11 points and six boards (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

  Stonehill closed out a third quarter in which it made 10 of its 17 shots (58.8%-percent) with a 17-4 run to grab the first real advantage by either team over the initial 24 minutes of the game, but had to withstand a 16-4 Le Moyne run in the fourth quarter before clinching the win.
• Stonehill led by one (32-31) after a Roberts layup with three minutes left in the third quarter and then scored the final 11 points of the frame to take a 12-point lead (43-21) into the fourth after Shaw capped the quarter with a three-pointer at the buzzer.
• Reuter scored six of Stonehill's points in the closing run.
• Stonehill extended its lead to a game-high 14 (47-33) on a turnaround jumper from Raymond less than two minutes into the fourth quarter.
• Sophomore Cameron Tooley sparked Le Moyne's fourth quarter rally with a three-pointer as the Dolphins pulled to within two (51-49) on a Corcoran layup with 2:27 remaining.
• Reuter scored a put back on Stonehill's next possession to restore a two-possession lead (53-49) and then Corcoran pulled Le Moyne back within two with a layup with a minute left.
• Shaw scored off a backdoor pass from Reuter to stretch the Stonehill lead back to four (55-51) with 46-seconds to go, before Roberts closed the gap again with a layup with 38-seconds remaining.
• Le Moyne got a look at a win or tie after a Stonehill turnover, but a Roberts three-pointer was off the mark and Raymond corralled the rebound to seal the victory.
• Le Moyne held a five-point lead (20-15) after a three-pointer from sophomore Jenna Zimmerman capped a run of six straight points.
• Stonehill was able to pull within a point (20-19) at the half after two Shaw free-throws and a layup from junior Jennifer Worden.

Noteworthy

• Stonehill are winners of a season-high 11 straight and 15 of 16 since the New Year, marking the longest current win streak in the NE10 after Adelphi's 11-game win streak was halted tonight. It marks the second-longest win streak in the East Region behind University of the Sciences' current 20-game run.
• Stonehill is the only program to appear in all 39 NE10 Women's Basketball Tournaments since the Conference started sponsoring the championship in 1982, reaching the Championship for second time in three seasons and 12^th in program history overall. The Skyhawks will be seeking their sixth title and first since 2008.

Up Next

Stonehill (22-5, 16-3 NE10) hosts Saint Anselm (21-6, 15-4 NE10) for the NE10 Championship on Sunday at Merkert Gym at 1 p.m.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.