Women's Basketball Defeats Assumption, 55-45
NORTH ANDOVER, MA – With a game-high 18 points from junior
captain Sarah Benischek
(Shrub Oak, NY) the Merrimack women's basketball
team improved to 5-9 (3-6 NE-10) with a win at home over Assumption
College Saturday afternoon, 55-45.
Sophomore Genn Roy (Granby,
MA) sparked the Warriors in the first half with 10 points
as part of 15 in the game. With a 24-21 halftime lead, Merrimack
improved to 3-0 on the year when leading at the break.
Senior captain Casey Miller
(Fairbanks, AK), who was honored before the game for
scoring 1,000 points in career on December 21 against Edinboro
University, rounded out the double digit scorers for Merrimack with
11.
"Casey is a special player and it's been a joy to coach her,"
head coach Helen Williams
said following the Warriors third Conference win of the year.
"It's great to come away with a win at home in Conference
play at this point in the year."
Prior to Saturday, Merrimack had been on a six-game road trip
spanning over a month.
1st Half
Jumping out to a 7-0 lead and starting the game on a 13-3 run over
the first five minutes, the Warriors used a three-quarter court
press to force 11 Greyhound turnovers. In the half, all five
starters scored for Merrimack, including Roy, who led all scorers
with 10 at the break. Roy also contributed to the Warriors'
stingy defense with a pair of blocks and two steals.
In the first 10 minutes, Merrimack shot 46% from the field, but
cooled off to shoot 35% in the first half.
Assumption would answer the Warriors run, running off 15 to
Merrimack's six over the next 10 minutes, including seven
from Leslie Lupien off the bench.
2nd Half
Seven minutes into the second half, Merrimack stretch the lead to
10, the biggest of the half, on two of Benischek's 15 second
half points.
The Greyhounds would pull to within two (39-37), but a pair of
threes from Benischek sparked a run that helped Merrimack to their
second Conference in three tries.
The Warriors, despite having their bench out-scored 18-2, held
the advantage in the paint (24-18) thanks in large part to 13
offensive boards.
The Warriors return to action on Tuesday, January 12 at 5:30pm
when they travel to Le Moyne College to take on the Dolphins in
Conference play.
