Women's Basketball Tops Saint Joseph’s (ME) in GNAC Clash, 61-53

THE BASICS 

Score: 
Emmanuel College, 61; Saint Joseph's College (ME), 53

Records: 
Emmanuel College Saints (9-1, 4-0 GNAC)
Saint Joseph's College Monks (11-2, 5-1 GNAC)

Location: Boston, Mass. – Andy Yosinoff Court  

Date: Saturday, January 8, 2022

THE LEAD – Graduate student Jamad Fiin (Boston, Mass.) scored a season-high 18 points to power Emmanuel College past Saint Joseph's College (ME), 61-53, Saturday afternoon in a key Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's basketball showdown in Boston, Mass.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Both squads entered the action unbeaten in GNAC play and the Saints came out hot, rushing ahead to a 16-6 lead midway through the opening quarter after a jumper by senior Loredana D'Agostino (Broad Brook, Conn.) with 5:29 to play. The Monks closed the period on an 11-5 flurry to cut the deficit to 21-17 heading into the second quarter, fueled by a 3-for-3 shooting performance by senior Cassandra Stapelfeld (Brookline, N.H.).
• Stapelfeld evened the score at 23-all early in the second quarter before SJC took its first lead of the day on a jumper by sophomore guard Nina Howe (York, Maine) to give the visitors a 27-26 lead with 4:46 to play in the half. Emmanuel answered with a 9-0 run to close the quarter sparked by back-to-back hoops by junior guard Caitlin Barker (Plainville, Conn.) to help the Saints carry a 35-27 lead into the break.
• Emmanuel opened up its largest lead of the game by scoring on its first two offensive possession of the third to push the lead to 39-27 before the Monks answered with a 10-0 run capped by a second-chance layup by sophomore Hannah Talon (Windham, Maine) to make it a one possession game at 39-37 with 4:53 remaining in the quarter. The squads would trade hoops before the start of the final stanza with the Monks winning the quarter 18-12 to make it a 47-45 score in favor of Emmanuel through three periods.
• A three by SJC sophomore guard Hailey Anderson (Beverly, Mass.) made cut the EC lead to one (54-53) with 5:33 remaining in regulation and the Saints defense was able to hold the Monks scoreless over that time en route to a 61-53 GNAC victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Fiin finished the day shooting 7-for-17 from the field for 18 points while Stapelfeld matched her for the game-high with 18 of her own on 7-for-13 shooting from the field.
• D'Agostino was one rebound shy of a double-double with 14 points and nine boards while rookie Yannie Chan (Hong Kong, China) chipped in with nine points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
• Anderson was the only other player to finish the game in double-figures, scoring 11 points off the bench for SJC on 4-of-7 shooting including a 3-of-6 performance from behind the arc.
• The eight points scored by the Monks in the final quarter was a season-low for points in the fourth.
• Emmanuel improved to 21-7 all-time against the Monks with the win.

UP NEXT

• Emmanuel is back in action on Wednesday, January 12 playing host to Rivier University at 5:30 PM in another GNAC contest.
• The Monks return to the court on Tuesday, January 11 hosting Bates College in non-conference action in Standish, Maine at 5:30 PM.