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Bethany Tighe averaged 18 points and 7.5 rebounds as the Skyhawks won two important games this past week. |
Pleasantville, N.Y. - Junior Kelsey Simonds (Middleboro, Mass.) recorded her seventh double-double of the season with game-highs of 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead to No. 23 Stonehill to a 67-43 road win over Pace University on Saturday afternoon in Northeast-10 women's basketball.
The Skyhawks used a 12-0 run in the early portion of the second half to pull away from the Setters, who went nearly five minutes without scoring a point.
Saturday also marked the ninth time this season the Skyhawks' defense didn't allow an opponent to reach 50 points.
By virtue of their win and Conference losses by Assumption and Franklin Pierce, the Skyhawks are now in sole possession of first place in the Northeast-10 by one game over the Greyhounds and Ravens. Bentley, who entered the weekend with the same 10-3 Conference mark, lost a non-Conference contest to Holy Family and sits a half game behind the Skyhawks.
After opening the game on an 11-0 run, behind back-to-back three-pointers from Megan Methven (Corning, N.Y.), layups from Simonds and Erika Stupinski (Topsham, Maine) and a free throw from Daryl Cioffi (New Milford, N.J.), Stonehill allowed the Setters to creep back into the game, trimming the Skyhawk lead to 23-22 win a little less than seven minutes to go.
After settling down, Stonehill then closed the half on a12-5 run, with five points coming from Simonds and another four from sophomore Erin Gray (Clifton Park, N.Y.), to take a 35-27 lead into the break.
With Simonds and freshman Kristen McWhirter (Melvin Village, N.H.) controlling the boards, the Skyhawks held a dominating, 51-27 edge on the glass, including a 29-11 difference in the final 20 minutes. 20 of their rebounds came on the offensive end, helping them hold a 23-4 advantage in second chance points.
The Skyhawks were holding a 42-34 edge when it embarked on its back-breaking run that was capped by a Bethany Tighe (North Easton, Mass.) triple, upping its bulge to 54-34.
The lead grew to as many as 25 when Tighe converted a conventional three-point play with seven minutes left in the game.
Stonehill held the Setters to 29 percent shooting for the game and just 25 percent (7-for-28) in the second half.
Tighe, who scored a career-high 22 points her last time out, pumped in 14 for Stonehill while grabbing five rebounds.
Methven joined Simonds and Tighe in double figures with 10 points, while McWhirter chipped in with six points and six rebounds.
Stupinksi and Cioffi each handed out five assists for the Skyhawks, which also got six points and two rebounds from Gray and five points from freshman Ashley Caiafa (Massapequa, N.Y.).
Now at 15-4 overall, the No. 23 Skyhawks have a week off before traveling to LeMoyne next Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. start with the Dolphins.
