Bryant
Upsets RINDGE, N.H. (January 28, 2006)
– Bryant
University earned its first Conference victory of the season and
snapped an 11-game slide with a 60-52 upset of Franklin Pierce, ranked
seventh in this week’s NCAA Division II Northeast Regional poll, in
Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball action at the Franklin
Pierce Fieldhouse this afternoon. Franklin
Pierce shot just 27.6-percent (8-of-29) from the field in the first
half to trail by five at the break and finished shooting 33.9% (20-59)
for the afternoon, including 4-14 (28.6%) from three-point range.
Bryant shot 42.9-percent (21-49) for the day despite missing all ten
three-point attempts (0-5 each half). The Ravens were hindered by
47.1% (8-17) shooting at the free-throw line, getting out-scored 18-8
at the stripe overall. Senior Shannon Perry (Providence, R.I./La Salle), a transfer from Syracuse University, notched a double-double to lead Bryant, totaling 16 points, on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, and a game-high 12 rebounds (six offensive) to go with five assists, three steals and a block. Junior Lauren Rubenoff (New Hartford, Conn./Northwest Regional) added 12 points, eight rebounds and two blocks, while classmate Joanna Skiba (Providence, R.I./Classical) totaled 12 points, aided by 6-7 shooting at the line, three boards and two assists. Sophomore Lynne-Ann Kokoski (Hatfield, Mass./Smith Academy) chipped in ten points.
Senior
Heather
Jacobs (Stoughton, Mass./Stoughton)
paced Franklin Pierce with a game and season-high matching 22 points
(19 second half), on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor, eight rebounds
(three offensive) and four assists. Junior Danielle
D’Ettorre (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/St. Mary’s)
added 13 points (ten first half), six rebounds (four offensive) and
two steals. The
Ravens top two scorers were a combined 15-of-26 (57.8%) from the
floor, while their teammates finished 5-33 (15.1%). Senior Maria
Clifton (New York, N.Y./Saint Michael’s Academy) and
freshman Jennifer
Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England)
each chipped in six boards. Bryant
jumped out to a 10-2 lead after a Rubenoff jumper four minutes in and
maintained that cushion much of the opening half. D’Ettorre scored
the last basket of the stanza to draw the Ravens within five (28-23)
heading into the locker room. A
Jacobs jumper drew Franklin Pierce within three (28-25) 47-seconds
into the second half. However, Bryant used a 14-4 run to take a
13-point lead (42-29) after a Cara
Johnson (Endicott, N.Y./Union-Endicott)
jumper with 11:31 to play. The
Bulldog lead was ten (54-44) after two Perry free throws with 3:00 to
play, but the Ravens got a three-pointer from Clifton and a Jacobs
jumper to draw within five (54-49) with 1:55 to go. That would be as
close as the hosts would get as Bryant canned 6-of-8 free throws from
there to ice the win. Franklin Pierce (12-8, 9-6 NE-10) is back on the road Wednesday when it visits Assumption College for a key Conference clash at 5:30 p.m. Bryant (4-16, 1-14 NE-10) hosts UMass Lowell on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. |
