2007 NE-10
TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND RINDGE, N.H. (February 25, 2007) – Ninth-seeded Assumption College came back from as much as 17-points down late in the first half and a nine-point second half deficit in claiming a 64-56 victory over eighth-seeded Franklin Pierce in first round action of the 2007 Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball championships, presented by Anaconda Sports, at the Fieldhouse this afternoon. Assumption (13-15, 9-13 NE-10) advances to face top-seeded and No. 8-ranked Southern Connecticut State University (25-2, 20-2 NE-10) in Tuesday’s quarterfinal round in New Haven at 7 p.m. Franklin Pierce, ranked ninth in the Northeast Region, sees its season come to a close at 17-11 overall (13-9 NE-10). Sophomore Beth Plasski (Fall River, Mass./Durfee) led all scorers with 18 points for Assumption to go with five rebounds, four steals and two assists. Freshman Kayla Parker (Sanford, Maine/Sanford) totaled 12 points, hitting 4-of-5 shots from the field, and seven rebounds (three offensive), while junior Britt Bishop (Mendon, Mass./Nipmuc) also collected 12 points as he buried 4-of-6 three-pointers and dished five assists. Junior Charde Floyd (Worcester, Mass./Worcester Academy) matched a career-high with 18 rebounds (nine offensive) and chipped in eight points and four assists.
Sophomore Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy) led Franklin Pierce with 13 points, a season-high matching seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Junior Josie Lidke (Chaska, Minn./Chaska) added 11 points as she connected on 4-of-7 shots from the field, including 3-4 three-pointers, to go with three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Freshman Jess McPherson (Croydon, Australia) chipped in with season-high totals of seven points (all first half), four steals and three blocked shots. Franklin Pierce shot well over 50-percent from the field and three-point range for most of the first half in building as much as a 17-point lead with five minutes to play in the stanza, the Ravens drought began from there as they finished shooting 48.3-percent (14-of-29) from the field, including 7-for-16 (43,8%) from three-point range, to settle for a seven-point lead (38-31) at the break. The Ravens missed their final five shots from the field, including all three from beyond the arc, after a Lidke three gave the hosts a 17-point advantage (38-21) with 4:56 to play in the stanza. As well as Franklin Pierce shot in the first half, the Ravens were just as cold in the second, hitting 22.2% (6-27) of their shots in the final 20 minutes, including 2-11 (18.2%) from three-point range. Parker hit a jumper 53-seconds into the second half to pull Assumption within five (38-33) before the Ravens cold spell ended with a Vanessa Power (Mildura, Australia) jumper 3:08 into the frame.
Franklin Pierce regained a nine-point cushion (46-37) after a Leedham three with 12:01 on the clock, but Assumption rallied again. Back-to-back three’s from Bishop and Plasski pulled the Greyhounds within three (46-43) with 11:11 showing on the clock. The Ravens lead was still six (53-47) after a jumper from Megan McIntyre (Wattleglen, Australia) with 6:02 to play, but that proved to be the hosts last basket of the day as Assumption held the Ravens to just three free-throws the rest of the way for a game-ending 17-3 run. Bishop capped the Assumption rally with a three-pointer with 5:08 on the clock. Two Leedham free-throws had Franklin Pierce within two points (58-56) with a minute left, but junior Meg Urban (Portland, Maine/Deering) scored a layup and the Greyhounds buried their last four free-throw attempts in the last nine seconds to ice their second NE-10 Tournament first round victory in as many seasons over the Ravens. Franklin Pierce missed its last seven shots from the field after McIntyre’s jumper, including three from long-distance. Assumption shot 38.6-percent (22-57) from the field in the contest, including 8-for-21 (38.1%) from three-point range, hitting 37.9% (11-29) in the second half. |
