SAINTS MARCH PAST HARTWICK; EMMANUEL ADVANCES TO NCAA ROUND OF 32
March 3, 2012
Providence, R.I.-- Senior guard Meghan Kirwan (Melrose, Mass.) contributed 17 points, nine steals, seven assists and six rebounds as Emmanuel College defeated Hartwick, 68-61, in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament played at The Murray Center on the campus of Rhode Island College on Friday evening. The Saints (23-6) will advance to face host Rhode Island College (24-3) tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. Hartwick (22-6) ends its season with the loss.
In addition to Kirwan, junior forward Fiona O'Dwyer (Stamford, Conn.) led all scorers with 24 points to go along with six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Kirwan was the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Player of the Year and joined O'Dwyer on the All-GNAC 1st Team.
Hartwick held the early advantage, opening up a 10-4 lead with 15:43 left in the first half on a layup by sophomore guard Maria Foglia (Rensselaer, N.Y.). Emmanuel bounced back with four-straight points to pull within a bucket, but Hartwick then rattled off 12-straight points to hold a commanding, 23-10, lead with 10:45 remaining. The run was paced by five points from sophomore guard Kate Purcell (Buffalo, N.Y.) and capped with a three-pointer by freshman forward Carlee Hirt (Beacon, N.Y.).
However, Emmanuel responded with 14 unanswered points to take its first lead, 24-23, at 5:05. O'Dwyer scored nine, while Kirwan contributed five points, to account for the Saints' offense during the run. Emmanuel's defense held the Hawks scoreless for seven-straight minutes during the stretch.
The Saints and Hawks traded the lead before Foglia drained a jumper to tie the game, 31-31, right before the halftime buzzer. EC shot 39 percent (14-for-36) from the field, while `Wick shot 44 percent (12-for-27). Emmanuel capitalized on 14 Hawk turnovers, made seven steals and held a slight advantage, 23-22, in rebounding over the first 20 minutes.
The second half proved to be a slugfest through the first eight minutes as neither team was able to build a sizeable advantage. Foglia cashed in a layup at 12:11 to give what proved to be Hartwick's final lead, 41-40, at 12:11.
Emmanuel got on a roll with eight straight points, as O'Dwyer scored four, while sophomore forward Liz Daley (Sharon, Mass.) and classmate center Victoria Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y.) pitched in with two apiece.
Consecutive fastbreak layups by Kirwan staked the Saints to a nine-point, 54-45, lead with 6:10 remaining and Hartwick would not get any closer than seven points for the remainder of the ballgame.
Emmanuel shot 50 percent (13-for-26) from the field in the second half and finished up at 44 percent (27-for-62). Hartwick shot 40 percent (12-for-30) over the final 20 minutes and 42 percent (24-for-57) for the game.
`Wick turned the ball over 26 times, while EC committed 17 miscues. The Hawks held the advantage in rebounding by one, 40-39.
Saints junior guard Laura Benvenuto (Wyckoff, N.J.) provided a huge spark off the bench, chipping in with 11 points, while freshman forward Lena Negri (Arlington, Va.) snared a team-high eight rebounds.
Foglia scored 18 and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds in a losing effort for the Hawks. Sophomore guard Lee Arduini (Albany, N.Y.) contributed 10 points.
In the late game, host Rhode Island College defeated Baruch College, 69-54. Emmanuel will now face RIC in a rematch of the non-conference battle which took place earlier this season, in which the Saints defeated the Anchorwomen, 81-73, back on December 1st. After the loss, RIC won a school-record 17 games in route to the Little East Conference Championship. The Saints were one of just three teams to defeat Rhode Island College this winter.
Tonight's win was Rhode Island College's first NCAA Tournament victory in 27 years (1985). Emmanuel is celebrating its first NCAA win in three years. The Saints' last tournament victory came in 2009, a win over the University of Southern Maine. The winner of this Saturday's regional final will earn a trip to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. The Saints last played in the Sweet Sixteen in 2007.
- COURTESY OF RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION