Bramanti scores six of her game-high 15 points in fourth quarter as Skyhawks close out series sweep

Bramanti scored six of her game-high 15 points in the fourth quarter to help the Skyhawks seal the win (PHOTO BY Ryan Feeney)

EASTON, Mass. (February 18, 2023) – Stonehill College rode a second quarter surge to a 61-50 victory over Central Connecticut State University in a Northeast Conference women's basketball matchup on Paula Sullivan Court at Merkert Gymnasium this afternoon.

Fifth-year Emily Bramanti led three from Stonehill in double-figures as she scored six of her game-high 15 points in the fourth quarter to help the Skyhawks close out the win, adding five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Postgrad Maddie Loder added 11 points, a season-high matching six assists, three steals and three rebounds, while freshman Melissa Whitmore posted her fourth-straight double-figure scoring game with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting, draining her lone three-point try, with two boards.

Sophomore Belle Lanpher was the lone Central Connecticut State player in double-figures with 14 points, aided by 6-of-8 shooting at the free-throw line, with two rebounds and two assists. Freshman Lara Rohkohl grabbed a game-high ten rebounds for the Blue Devils to go with seven points and two steals.

Both teams finished with 18 turnovers, but Stonehill made the most of CCSU's, posting a 21-6 advantage in points off, while also finishing even on the offensive glass as the Skyhawks hauled in 18 offensive boards, compared to 18 defensive rebounds by the Blue Devils to register a 39-30 rebounding edge overall.

CCSU scored the final six points of the first quarter, including four by sophomore Emma Bruen, to carry a one-point lead (14-13) into the second quarter after a jumper from junior Meghan Kenefick with five seconds left in the opening frame. Sophomore Allison Napoli scored the opening basket of the second to extend the Blue Devils lead to three (16-13) a minute and a half in, but Bramanti snapped a nearly seven-minute scoring drought by Stonehill with a three-pointer to pull the Skyhawks even (16-16) four minutes into the second.

Loder dished out a season-high six assists for the second-straight game to go with 11 points, three rebounds and three steals (PHOTO BY Ryan Feeney)

Junior Dejah Jenkins pushed CCSU back in front, but Stonehill would close out the half with a 15-3 run to carry a ten-point lead (31-21) into halftime. Loder sparked the run with a jumper to pull the Skyhawks even and then freshman Colleen McCullagh put the hosts in front with a layup midway through the quarter. Bramanti scored four points and Whitmore added five, including a three to stretch the Stonehill lead into double-figures with under a minute to play in the half.

Stonehill extended its advantage to 15 (38-23) after a jumper from fifth-year Sophie Glidden less than three minutes into the second half. CCSU followed with a 9-1 spurt over the next five minutes to pull back within seven (39-32) on a Rohkohl putback with 2:37 left in the third. Stonehill closed the frame with six of the last seven points, getting scoring from three different players, to restore a 12-point margin (45-33) heading to the fourth.

Loder stretched the lead back to 14 (47-33) with a layup 2:20 into the final quarter and she added another layup two minutes later to hold Stonehill's 14-point cushion (49-35) with 6:10 on the clock. Lanpher scored the next six points to pull CCSU back within eight (49-41) with 3:13 remaining, but Stonehill held, and two free-throws from senior Mia Kelly and a Bramanti drive restored a 12-point Skyhawks lead (53-41). Stonehill made all eight free-throws in the closing 66-seconds to seal the win from there, finishing 11-for-12 at the line for the contest overall.

Noteworthy

• Bramanti scored in double-figures for the 20^th time this season (46^th career). She moves into 32^nd place on Stonehill's career scoring list with her 15 points today, passing Paige Marshall, '16 (1,038) with 1,045 points in 107 career games played.
• Loder and Whitmore have both scored in double-figures for four-straight games, with Loder doing so in 13 games this season overall (25 career), while it's the first four double-figure games for Whitmore.
• Loder has a season-high six assists in back-to-back games.
• Stonehill finishes off a regular season series sweep of CCSU, having also notched its first NEC win against the Blue Devils back on January 2 in New Britain, Connecticut.

Up Next
Stonehill (8-19, 4-10 NEC) returns to action at Merkert Gym on Thursday, when it hosts Wagner College for an NEC matchup at 6 p.m. Central Connecticut (7-18, 3-10 NEC) hosts Merrimack College on Thursday at 7 p.m.

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