Weissmann's Double-Double Not Enough as Women's Basketball Suffers 74-58 Loss at Franklin Pierce
Links: Box Score
RINDGE, N.H. – The Merrimack College women's basketball team built a 20-15 lead after the first quarter, but the host Franklin Pierce Ravens battled back from there to defeat the Warriors, 74-58, on Saturday afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference play. Senior guard Ashley Weissmann (Highland, Calif.) notched her first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds in defeat.
The Basics
Score: Franklin Pierce 74, Merrimack 58
Records: Merrimack (5-6, 2-4 NE-10) | Franklin Pierce (3-5, 2-4 NE-10)
Location: FPU Fieldhouse | Rindge, N.H.
How It Happened
Merrimack jumped out to a seven-point lead in the opening quarter over the first four minutes thanks to six early points from Tia Scott (New York, N.Y.) and a three-pointer from freshman Hannah Neild (Litchfield, N.H.). Junior guard My'Asia Alston (Cohoes, N.Y.) hit a layup to make it 14-5 Merrimack with 4:12 remaining in the opening quarter.
The Ravens went on a 10-2 run from there to make it 16-15 with 1:55 to play, but Weissmann and freshman Lexi Martin (Franklin, Mass.) hit consecutive buckets to end the quarter to give Merrimack a 20-15 lead after 10 minutes.
The Warriors went the first 4:01 of the second quarter without scoring, allowing the Ravens to tie the game at 20-all. The Ravens then took their first lead of the game at 24-22 with 5:11 to play. The team's combined for just seven points over the final four minutes of the half, but a triple from Natalie Bastian, Franklin Pierce's leading scorer, gave the Ravens a 31-29 lead after 20 minutes.
The third quarter began with a 6-0 spurt from the Warriors to take the lead back at 35-31, but the Ravens answered with nine consecutive points to take the lead back with 5:56 to play in the third. A Madison Ward (Binghamton, N.Y.) layup with less than five minutes remaining cut it to a three-point deficit, but the Ravens maintained their lead throughout the frame. The fourth began with the Navy and Gold trailing by seven, 52-45.
The hosts pulled away at the start of the fourth, building their largest lead at that point, 60-47, with 6:39 to play in regulation. Scott hit two of her seven free throws on the afternoon to cut it a 10-point deficit at the 4:16 mark, but that was as close as Merrimack would get. The Warriors fell to 2-4 in conference, while the Ravens picked up their second league win.
Inside The Numbers
- Weissmann recorded her third-ever 10-plus rebound performance, and now has scored in double figures in three straight games. The senior captain also posted three steals and is averaging nearly two swipes per contest
- Scott filled up the stat sheet with nine points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals. Scott now has posted at least seven helpers in the past five games
- Two-time all-conference selection Kara Charette came off the bench to score 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting. The forward played in 33 minutes, contributing seven rebounds as well
- After scoring a career-high 15 points on Wednesday, Neild finished with seven points and a game-high four steals. The Warriors finished with 13 swipes compared to just three for the Ravens
Up Next
The Warriors will have eight days off for finals week before returning to the court on Sunday, Dec. 20, down in Philadelphia, PA. where Merrimack will face the University of the Sciences at 2 p.m.
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