Stonehill Surges Past Franklin Pierce, 68-58
Simonds leads all scorers with 22 points on 7-of-8 shooting and three blocks 

EASTON, Mass. (December 1, 2007) – Stonehill College used a 19-4 run over the final 6:57 of the second half to defeat Franklin Pierce University by a score of 68-58 in a Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball matchup on Saturday afternoon at Merkert Gymnasium.

Junior Kelsey Simonds (Middleboro, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) led the way for the Skyhawks with 22 points, missing only once from the field (7-of-8) and once from the free-throw line (8-for-9), while adding nine rebounds and three blocks. Sophomore Meghan Methven (Corning, N.Y./Corning Painted-Post East) added 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting for the Skyhawks. The duo combined to score 17 of Stonehill’s final 19 points, with Simonds helping to close out the win with 10 of those points.

Junior Brittany Tighe (North Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames) added 11 points and five rebounds for the Skyhawks, while senior Erika Stupinski (Topsham, Maine/Mount Ararat) led all players with 11 assists and five steals to accompany four points and eight rebounds.

Sophomore All-American Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) paced the Ravens with 18 points, nine rebounds and three steals, narrowly missing her fourth double-double of the season. The forward was held under 20 points for the first time this year this season by the Skyhawks despite sinking 8-of-17 shots (47.1 percent) from the field.

Junior Toby Martin (Wayne, Maine/Maranacook) and classmate Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) both reached double-figures in points for the Ravens as well. Martin set a new season-high with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting (83.3 percent), while Leedham recorded 11 points thanks to a perfect 6-for-6 mark at the free-throw line to go along with five assists and three steals.

Franklin Pierce led for almost the entire first half on the strength of 40 percent (13-for-32) shooting from the field and a 50 percent mark from beyond the arc (6-for-12). The team grew its lead to as many as 11 points midway through the first half following a three-pointer by Martin, but Stonehill battled back to close within one at the end of the half thanks to a three-point basket from Tighe with three seconds left.

The Ravens continued to hold the lead after the break, and did not trail in the second half until the final five minutes. The visitors held a 54-49 lead with 9:24 remaining after a layup by Johannah Leedham, but Stonehill responded by scoring 19 of the next 21 points to assume control of the game. Simonds hit a layup with 4:59 remaining to give the Skyhawks their first lead of the game at 55-54, and the home team hit four of its six field goal attempts and four of its five free-throw chances down the stretch to seal the victory.

Franklin Pierce (5-1, 3-1 NE-10) will return home on Tuesday evening, when the Ravens take on Le Moyne College in Northeast-10 action beginning at 5:30 p.m. Stonehill (6-0, 3-0 NE-10) will host conference foe Assumption College on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

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