Saint Rose Holds Off RINDGE, N.H. (January 27, 2007) – The College of Saint Rose, ranked third in this week’s NCAA Division II Northeast Regional rankings and among teams receiving votes in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll, saw an 18-point first half lead disappear and made a late rally of its own in posting a 75-67 victory over Franklin Pierce, ranked fifth in the region, in a battle for second place in the Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball standings this afternoon. Junior Lauren Revesz (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley), a transfer from Division I Ohio University, led four Saint Rose players in double-figures with 22 points, as she hit 8-of-15 shots from the field and converted 6-7 free-throw attempts, to go with four rebounds and two steals. Senior Linsey Onishuk (Hyde Park, Mass./Boston Latin Academy) finished with 16 points, including the 1,000th of her career (19th in program history to reach that milestone), as she hit 6-8 shot from the field, including 2-3 three-pointers. She also dished four assists. Senior Courtney Ludwig (Shaftsbury, Vt./Mount Anthony Union) added 18 points and two steals, while classmate Mary Lewis (Roxbury, Mass./Tabor Academy) chipped in ten points, six steals, five assists and five rebounds. Freshman Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy) led Franklin Pierce with 18 points, aided by 2-of-3 shooting from three-point range and a 6-8 effort at the line, to go with six assists, five steals and four rebounds. Junior Josie Lidke (Chaska, Minn./Chaska) netted a season-high 14 points, hitting 5-7 shots from the field including 4-5 from beyond the arc, to go with three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Sophomore Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy) finished with 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, while senior Nicola Dalton (Danbury, Conn./Ridgefield) chipped in a team-high seven rebounds.
Saint Rose came firing out of the gates, building a 15-point lead (21-6) after a Ludwig layup just 6:22 into the contest. The Golden Knights would extend their advantage to 18 (32-14) after a Ludwig three-pointer, but Franklin Pierce settled in and closed within ten (36-26) at the break. Franklin Pierce wrapped a 20-4 run around halftime to force the first tie since the opening tip (40-40) after a Jennifer Leedham three 2:52 into the second half. Saint Rose regained a four-point edge (48-44) after a Ludwig three-pointer with 13:05 to play, but the Ravens scored seven-straight points, capped by a Lidke layup, to take a three-point lead of their own (51-48) with 11:11 left in regulation. The Ravens forged a pair of seven-point leads, the last coming after a Melissa Kapela (Queens, N.Y./Christ the King) jumper with 7:34 to play (61-54). The Golden Knights answered this time with an 11-3 run to regain the lead (65-64) on a Ludwig three with 4:07 left. A Lidke three-pointer put the Ravens back in front (67-66) with 2:13 to go, but Revesz converted a conventional three-point play with 1:18 to play to put Saint Rose up four (71-67) with 1:18 left. Franklin Pierce missed its two shots and turned the ball over twice after the Lidke three, while the Golden Knights buried all five free-throw attempts down the stretch to seal the key Conference win. Franklin Pierce finished shooting 41.8-percent (23-of-55) from the field, but connected on just 28.6% (8-28) in the first half, and 11-of-21 (52.4%) from three-point range. Saint Rose shot 44.1% (26-59) from the field overall, including 48.1% (13-27) in the second half. Franklin Pierce (15-6, 11-5 NE-10) rounds out its three game home stand on Wednesday when it hosts Pace University, also among teams receiving votes nationally and ranked seventh in the region, at 5:30 p.m. Saint Rose (16-5, 12-4 NE-10) hosts No. 4-ranked Southern Connecticut State University on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. |
