WOMEN'S HOOP TEAM SUFFERS FIRST GNAC LOSS
Feb. 9, 2008
Boston, MA - The Emmanuel College Women's Basketball Team suffered its first conference loss of the season on Saturday afternoon, when the Saints were defeated by the Rams of Suffolk University. Freshman Christie Iwanicki (Newtown, Conn.) scored a career-high 15 points to lead three players in double figures as the Rams ended the Saints' 24-game Great Northeast Athletic Conference winning streak by notching a 66-55 league victory at Suffolk's Regan Gymnasium.
The host Rams (14-6, 8-2 GNAC) posted their first-ever win in the 33-game series with the visiting Saints (16-6, 9-1 GNAC) and in the process handed Emmanuel just its second regular season conference setback in 98 decisions, dating back to the 1999-2000 season. The Saints' last regular season loss occurred back on February 6, 2006, a 64-61 defeat by Western New England College.
Suffolk raced out to a 17-7 advantage in the first 13 minutes of the contest and forced the Saints to miss 10 of their first 13 shots, but Emmanuel roared back by scoring 12 of the game's next 14 points to even matters at 19-19. A pair of free throws by senior Katlyn Klecha (Fairfield, Conn.), coupled with a lay-in by senior Stephanie Morrissey (Abington, Mass.), gave the Rams a 25-21 cushion at the break. After sophomore Stephanie Zito (Guilford, Conn.) extended the hosts' edge to six (27-21) in the first minute after intermission, the Saints used a 13-5 run over a three-minute stretch to take a 34-32 lead on a lay-in by sophomore guard Iman Davis (New Britain, Conn.) with 16:12 to play.
That would prove to be the final Emmanuel advantage of the afternoon. After the Rams forged the last tie of the day (39-39), Suffolk used a 7-0 run over 2:05 stretch to take a 46-39 lead on a lay-in by junior Kerry Bowman (Guilford, Conn.) with 10:02 remaining. The Rams then built that margin to 10 points over the next five minutes, grabbing a 54-44 edge with 5:37 to play on a Morrissey jumper. The Saints made one last run, slicing their deficit to four (57-53) on a lay-up by senior Jade Paez (Bronx, N.Y) with 2:21 remaining, but a combined eight free throws by Iwanicki, Klecha and junior Meghan Tracey (Rehoboth, Mass.) in the final 1:42 of action sealed the hosts' triumph.
Morrissey finished with 13 points and seven rebounds in the win for the Rams, who also received 10 points and eight boards off the bench from Bowman. Klecha and fellow senior Katie Castignetti (Braintree, Mass.) each added seven points for Suffolk, who also received six points and a career-high 17 rebounds from Tracey as well as six points and five caroms from Zito. Suffolk shot 36% from the field and overcame 25 turnovers by controlling the boards with a 54-39 rebounding edge. The Rams also held a 23-9 scoring advantage at the foul line while netting 15 second chance points.
For the Saints, Iman Davis led all scorers with 28 points, while matching Tracey's 17 rebounds for a double-double effort in the setback. Emmanuel also received 10 points from Paez. Freshman guard Kristin LeBel (Tolland, Conn.) added 8 points, 6 rebounds and 4 steals on the day for the Saints, who shot 34 percent from the floor and recorded 16 steals for the contest.
Suffolk hosts Saint Joseph (Conn.) in a GNAC outing on Tuesday evening at Regan Gymnasium beginning at 7:00 p.m., while Emmanuel will host Emerson College in a GNAC match-up on Tuesday night in the Jean Yawkey Center beginning at 7:30pm.