Franklin Pierce
Shoots RINDGE, N.H. (January 16, 2007) – Franklin Pierce shot a season-high 56.1-percent (23-of-41) from the field to fuel a 69-54 victory over Le Moyne College in Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball action at the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse tonight. Franklin Pierce answered a Le Moyne run early in the second half by connecting on 61.1-percent (11-of-18) of its shots from the field, including all six three-point attempts, in the second half. Overall, the Ravens shot a season-best 56.1% (23-41) from the field, including 9-of-11 (81.8%) from beyond the arc, compared to 36.2% (17-of-47) shooting by Le Moyne, including 3-of-12 (25%) from long-distance. While both teams turned the ball over 22 times (just six second half for the Ravens) Franklin Pierce enjoyed a 28-11 scoring advantage off the miscues. Sophomore Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy) led Franklin Pierce with 19 points as she hit 6-of-13 shots from the field (2-2 three’s) and converted 5-7 free-throw attempts to go with five assists, four steals and a blocked shot. Classmate Vanessa Power (Mildura, Australia) scored ten of her 13 points off the bench in the second half as she connected on 4-of-6 three-pointers to go with three steals. Freshman Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy) finished with 14 points, shooting 4-of-5 from the floor (1-1 from three-point range), to go with a game-high eight rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots.
Senior Lindsay Ellis (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) led Le Moyne with 14 points and three rebounds. Sophomore Katie Dunn (Whippany, N.J./Morris Catholic) was the only other Dolphin in double-figures with ten points (eight first half), three boards and two steals. Senior Lindsay Carr (Bronx, N.Y./Preston) chipped in eight points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals. Le Moyne scored the first seven points of the contest and jumped out to a 9-2 advantage after Ellis followed up her own miss just 4:16 into the contest. Franklin Pierce quickly responded with a 9-0 run, sparked by a Jennifer Leedham three, to take its first lead of the contest (11-9) eight minutes in. The Ravens worked their lead to as many as nine points on two occasions late in the first half before settling on an eight point lead (30-22) heading into the break when senior Nicola Dalton (Danbury, Conn./Ridgefield) hit a jumper at the buzzer.
The Dolphins wrapped a 10-2 run around halftime to draw within one (30-29) after a Kim Wagoner (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) layup three minutes into the second half. A Wagoner jumper gave Le Moyne a one-point lead (36-35) with 14:10 to go, but Franklin Pierce answered with a 13-0 run to push its lead into double-digits (48-36) midway through the stanza after four-straight points from Jennifer Leedham. Leedham, Power and freshman Rachel Kimball (Schenectady, N.Y./Monohasen) each buried three’s during that stretch. Franklin Pierce extended its lead to as much as 14 points (60-46) after a Stephanie Bergeron (Pointe Claire, Quebec/Dawson College) three-pointer with 4:20 left and never let the Dolphins within ten points the rest of the way. Franklin Pierce (13-5, 9-4 NE-10) is back is action on Saturday with a key NE-10 road game at 10th-ranked Stonehill College at 1:30 p.m. The Ravens return home a week from tonight to open a three-game home stand against Assumption College at 5:30 p.m. Le Moyne (6-11, 2-10 NE-10) visits Bryant University on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. |
