Women's Basketball Punches Playoff Ticket with 53-49 Win over Franklin Pierce
Links: Box Score | Photos
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College women's basketball team will be one of 10 teams playing for the Northeast-10 Championship beginning next weekend as the Warriors clinched a postseason berth with a 53-49 win over Franklin Pierce University on Saturday afternoon from Hammel Court.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 53 | Franklin Pierce 49
Records: Merrimack (13-12, 9-11 NE-10) | Franklin Pierce (16-9, 12-8 NE-10)
Location: Hammel Court | North Andover, Mass.
Northeast-10 Postseason Outlook
With the victory, Merrimack not only clinches a postseason berth, but guarantees the Warriors finish no lower than fourth in the division. If Merrimack wins on Tuesday night and Assumption loses, the Navy and Gold will collect the third seed from the Northeast Division and play in the quarterfinals at the second-place finisher from the Southwest Division. If Assumption wins in their regular-season finale, regardless of Merrimack's result, the Warriors will host a first-round matchup against the fifth-place finisher from the Southwest Division on Friday night from Hammel Court.
1) Stonehill (20-3, 16-3)
2) Franklin Pierce (16-9, 12-8)
3) Assumption (14-11, 9-11)
4) Merrimack (13-12, 9-11)
5) Saint Michael's (12-13, 7-13)
6) Saint Anselm (9-16, 7-13)
7) Bentley (11-14, 6-13)
8) Southern NH (11-16, 5-15)
What They Said
Head coach Monique LeBlanc: "I'm so happy that this senior class got a very important and memorable win on their senior day. They certainly left their mark over four years and have positively impacted the future through their hard work and commitment. We're excited that they'll be extending their season into the playoffs."
How It Happened
Before the game, seniors Cassi Amenta (Lynn, Mass.), Aria Johnson (Los Osos, Calif.), Melissa Miller (North Andover, Mass.), Chloe Rothman (Newton, Mass.) and captain Allison Wagner (Center Conway, N.H.) were honored in a special Senior Day ceremony. The Class of 2015 was presented with commemorative basketballs and celebrated at center court with family and friends.
When the first half got underway, Merrimack played one of their best defensive halves of the season. The Ravens would shoot a measly 9.4 percent over the first 20 minutes, hitting on only 3-of-32 of their attempts, including missing all nine shots from beyond the arc.
Merrimack raced out to a 7-0 advantage over the first six-plus minutes of the opening stanza before two Jasmyne Fogel free throws made it 7-2 with 13:16 left in the half. Consecutive baskets from Rothman and Amenta made it 15-7 Merrimack with less than six minutes to play in the half. Four combined points were scored over the final 5:59 of the half as Merrimack entered halftime with the 17-9 advantage.
Franklin Pierce put its worst shooting performance of the season behind them as they started the second half 3-of-4 to make it a 19-18 game with 16:24 to play. Rothman hit two free throws, then Ashley Weissmann (Highland, Calif.) drained a three-pointer to push the lead back to six and counter the Pierce run.
Junior center Madison Ward (Binghamton, N.Y.) gave the Warriors solid minutes in the second half, as she hit a layup with 9:41 to play. Less than one minute later, Weissmann was fouled attempting a three and sank the following three free throws and the Warriors were up by nine points, 37-28, with 8:33 to go.
Amenta, who played arguably her best game of the conference slate, scored five consecutive points for Merrimack to make it 41-36 with less than five minutes to go in the contest. Franklin Pierce would not go away. Kara Charette, the conferences third leading scorer, scored six points in a span of one minute, then Jessica Hurd connected on a layup and its was a one-point game at 47-46 with 43 seconds left.
The seniors would come through in the clutch for the Warriors. Out of a timeout, Rothman stepped behind the arc on the right wing and swished a three-pointer to make it a two-possession game with 23 seconds left. On the Ravens next possession they missed a layup and Wagner was there for the most important rebound of the game. She went 3-of-4 from the line in the final 10 seconds and Merrimack walked away with the vital 53-49 victory.
Inside The Numbers
- Merrimack could have been up by a significant margin in the first half, but the Warriors offense strugled, but the Warriors suffocating defense kept the Ravens at bay. Franklin Pierce shot nine percent from the field in the first 20 minutes, while the Warriors only shot 29 percent from the field
- Amenta finished with a team-high 11 points. It is the first time she has scored in double figures since the season opener. Nine of the 10 players who took the floor for the Warriors scored, while five had at least five points
- Four players finished with at least five rebounds for the Navy and Gold, while the Warriors held a nine-rebound advantage on the defensive glass
- Charette was able to put up strong numbers, with 18 points and nine rebounds on 7-of-14 from the field, but the rest of the team combined to make just 11 field goals
Up Next
Merrimack will play in the regular season finale on Tuesday night up in Colchester, Vt. against Saint Michael's. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. as the Warriors look to complete the season sweep of the Purple Knights.
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