Franklin Pierce Rallies PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (November 29, 2006) – Franklin Pierce erased a 14-point halftime deficit to pick up a key 60-56 early season victory at Pace University in Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball action at the Goldstein Fitness Center this evening. Franklin Pierce extends its winning streak to four games with the victory and remains unbeaten in Conference play after handing its second-straight opponent their first loss of the season. The Ravens shot just 25-percent (7-28) from the field in scoring 19 points in the first half to trail by 14 (33-19) at the break. Franklin Pierce stormed back in the second, shooting 44.8% (13-29) from the field, including 6-for-10 (60%) from three-point range, while holding Pace to 22.6-percent (7-31) from the field, including 1-of-10 (10%) from long-distance.
Franklin Pierce was again led by freshman Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy), who scored 15 of her game-high 23 points in the second half and also added a season-best 14 rebounds (four offensive) to go with four assists and season-high matching six steals. She has now scored 20-plus points in each of her first five collegiate outings. Sophomore Vanessa Power (Mildura, Australia) added 18 points, hitting 6-of-10 shots from three-point range, while junior Josie Lidke (Chaska, Minn./Chaska) totaled a season-high ten points and six rebounds. Sophomore Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy) chipped in six assists. Senior Hannah Sheppard (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) collected a double-double to lead Pace as she totaled 11 points and 12 rebounds (five offensive). Junior Stephanie Klingele (Staten Island, N.Y./St. John Villa) led all Setter scorers with 14 points to go with five rebounds, while senior Ashley Wallace (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego) added 11 points and four boards. Junior Stephanie Rossmy (Staten Island, N.Y./St. John Villa) grabbed nine rebounds and four steals.
Trailing by 14 at the break, Franklin Pierce scored the first nine points of the second half to close its deficit to five (33-28) after a Lidke layup 2:30 into the stanza. Lidke and junior Stephanie Bergeron (Pointe Claire, Quebec/Dawson College) each drained three-pointers to help spark the run. The Setters regained an 11-point cushion (43-32) after a Klingele three-pointer with 13:29 to play. Franklin Pierce used a 14-2 run after the midpoint of the second half to take its first lead of the contest (50-48) after another Lidke layup with 3:18 to play. Johannah Leedham led the run with eight points, while Power drained a key three-pointer during the stretch. Klingele forced the fourth tie of the second half (50-50) with a jumper with three minutes to go, but Power answered with a pair of three-pointers for Franklin Pierce sandwiched around a pair of Klingele free-throws to put the Ravens up four (56-52) with 1:13 to go. Johannah Leedham was able ice the victory from there with four free-throws in the final 20-seconds. Franklin Pierce (4-1, 3-0 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday when it hosts No. 16 Stonehill College in a game that will be played at Keene State College’s Spaulding Gymnasium at 1:30 p.m. Pace (5-1, 3-1 NE-10) visits Southern New Hampshire University on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. |
