YOSINOFF MAKES HISTORY DESPITE 67-62 SETBACK TO ECSU
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Senior guard Victoria Pfohl’s (Trumbull) desperation, banked three-point field goal from 25 feet with one second left on the shot clock was the play that staved off Emmanuel College’s late-game comeback and helped the Eastern Connecticut State University women’s basketball team to a 67-62 non-conference victory Tuesday night at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Senior guard Victoria Pfohl's (Trumbull) desperation, banked three-point field goal from 25 feet with one second left on the shot clock was the play that staved off Emmanuel College's late-game comeback and helped the Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball team to a 67-62 non-conference victory Tuesday night at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.
Despite the loss, the game marked a bit of history for Emmanuel Head Coach Andy Yosinoff as he coached in his 1,000th career contest to become just the second NCAA Division III women's basketball coach to reach the milestone. Yosinoff joins the company of Yvonne Kauffman (Elizabethtown 1971-2012) as the only two D-III coaches to have coached in 1,000 games. He becomes the 25th NCAA Women's Basketball Coach to hit 1,000 and is one of just 11 head coaches to reach the mark at the same institution.
Emmanuel (1-2) used a 12-2 run over four minutes to slice ten points off Eastern's (3-0) 11-point lead – senior guard Sarah Higgins (Groveland, MA) sinking two free throws with 58 seconds left to make it a one-point Eastern lead-- before Pfohl canned her only three-pointer of the game as the shot clock expired – a twisting, off-balance heave from the left side that banked off the glass and through to give Eastern a four-point lead, 66-62, with 30 seconds left.
Eastern, ranked No. 24 nationally, outscored Emmanuel, 21-9, in the third quarter to erase a five-point halftime deficit and take a seven-point lead into the final ten minutes. The Warriors outscored the Saints, 10-4 over the first four minutes of the fourth quarter to build a 13-point, 59-46 lead.
Emmanuel's fullcourt press forced the Warriors into five turnovers midway through the final quarter, however. Higgins began the comeback with a three-point field goal and senior guard Devin Rauh (Collegeville, PA) later swished a three to pull the Saints to within four, 61-57, with 2:20 left.
Leading by five at halftime, Emmanuel pushed its least to as many as eight, 40-32, with 6:30 left before the Warriors countered with a decisive run of 15 straight points over four minutes that vaulted Eastern in front for good, 47-40, with 2:30 left. Senior forward Jill Ritrosky (Pittsfield, MA) fueled the surge with eight of the 15 points, junior guard Julia DePoi (Brookfield) contributed five points, two steals and an assist. Ritrosky's inside bucket with five minutes left pulled Eastern even, 40-all, and Ritrosky later sank one of two free throws and DePoi convered from underneath to make it 43-40 with just over four minutes left.
Ritrosky led four double-digit scorers with 18 points (12 in the second half), junior guard Jordyn Nappi (Southington) and senior post player Erin Brooks (Billerica, MA) adding 13 and DePoi 12. Junior post player Lexis Foster (Groton) had a career-high 12 rebounds, Ritrosky adding eight. DePoi finished with five assists and three steals and Pfohl four assists.
Higgins paced all players with 28 points (10-of-13 from the line) with four steals, Rauh adding ten points.
Emmanuel was hindered by ten missed free throws in 24 tries while the Warriors converted ten of 15.
Yosinoff and Emmanuel return to action for 1,001 on Thursday evening when they host Rhode Island College at 7:00 PM. Eastern visits Tufts University Tuesday at 5 p.m. The Jumbos eliminated Eastern in the third round of last year's NCAA tournament, 46-31.
*Release courtesy of ECSU Sports Information Dept.