WOMEN'S BASKETBALL OUTLASTS MERRIMACK, 68-61
NORTH ANDOVER, MA - The Pace University women's basketball team snapped their three-game losing streak defeating Northeast-10 Conference foe the Warriors of Merrimack College, 68-61, at the Volpe Gym in North Andover, MA. The Setters improve to 3-9 on the season and 3-5 in the NE-10, while the Warriors fall to 4-10 overall, 0-8 in conference play.
Pace had three players in double figures led by sophomore Taylor Losey's (Bristol, CT/Bristol Eastern) team-high 27 points on 7-for-19 shooting, including going 5-for-12 from beyond the arc and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Senior Stephanie Klingele (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) added 11 points, going a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe, and five rebounds, while sophomore Laura Mooney (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) finished the game with 10 points, a game-high seven assists and six rebounds. Classmate Jackie Gogel (Whippany, NJ/Whippany Park) grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to go along with six points.
Merrimack had just one player in double figures as Amanda Shannon led all scorers with a game-high 29 points on 11-for-23 shooting. Gately Golden grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with seven points.
The Setters started the game on a 7-0 run and would never trail in the game. Pace would lead by as many as 17 points with 2:07 remaining in the half on a jumper by senior Christine Fitzgerald (San Diego, CA/Mt. Miguel), before taking the 16-point lead at the break, 39-23.
Pace extended their lead to 21, 49-28, at the 14:50 mark of the second half on a lay-up by freshman Lisa Welsome (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's). The Warriors would battle back over the next 10 minutes cutting their deficit to two, 60-58, with 4:43 remaining in the game. Merrimack benefited from a 30-11 run, but would not be able to tie the game or take the lead. Up by two, 62-60, with 1:51 left in the game, the Setters would outscore the Warriors 6-1 to take the seven point victory, 68-61.
The Setters made the most of their free throws as Pace was perfect from the line going 20-for-20. Pace shot 33.9% (19-for-56) from the field and 30.3% (10-for-33) from three.
The Warriors shot 38.1% (24-for-63) from the field and 28.0% (7-for-25) from beyond the arc. Merrimack was just 6-for-12 (50.0%) from the free throw line for the game.
The Setters return to action on Thursday, January
10th as Pace will host the Bulldogs of Bryant University
in a Northeast-10 Conference match-up at the Goldstein Fitness
Center on Pace's Pleasantville campus. Tip-off is scheduled for
5:30 pm