Weissmann Nets Career High, Leading Women's Basketball to 62-43 Victory vs. Adelphi
Links: Highlights | Box Score | Ashley Weissmann Interview
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Senior captain Ashley Weissmann (Highland, Calif.) finished with a career-high 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting to lead the Merrimack College women's basketball team to a 21-point win over Adelphi University on Saturday afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference action. The Warriors limited the defending conference champions to 43 points, the Panthers' second fewest output of the season.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 62, Adelphi 43
Records: Merrimack (8-11, 4-9 NE-10) | Adelphi (13-7, 6-6 NE-10)
Location: Hammel Court | North Andover, Mass.
How It Happened
Both squads exchanged points over the first five minutes of the afternoon, with two free throws from Hannah Neild (Litchfield, N.H.) tying the game at six points apiece midway through the first. From there the Panthers went on a 6-0 run, as Sierra Clark converted on consecutive three-point plays. Weissmann made consecutive jumpers to make it a one-point game, 14-13, but the Panthers scored the final three points of the quarter to take a 17-13 advantage into the second.
At the 7:04 mark of the second frame, Weissmann continued her strong shooting with another triple to give the Warriors a 20-19 lead. From there defensive dominated the rest of the quarter, as the squads combined to score five points the rest of the half. Merrimack ended the half with a 24-21 leads thanks to 14 first-half points from their two-year captain.
The Warriors put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring the Panthers by 13 points and limited Adelphi to nine points. After Samantha Brenner hit a layup 1:09 into the third, the Warriors defense held the Panthers scoreless over the next 4:35 of game time, going on a 14-0 run.
Weissmann started that stretch with another triple. Savannah Johnson (Palmdale, Calif.) hit a layup with 7:47 on the clock, and on the ensuing inbound, Weissmann stole the ball and converted a lay-in to put the Warriors up nine at 31-23. The run ended with Merrimack holding a 14-point lead, 38-24, with under five minutes remaining in the third.
With 2:46 to go until the fourth, My'Asia Alston (Cohoes, N.Y.) and Neild hit back-to-back three-pointers, Alston's coming on a desperation heave with the shot clock expiring, and the Warriors took a 46-30 advantage into the third quarter.
Merrimack's advantage never dipped below double digits in the final quarter. The victory snaps a four-game losing streak for the Warriors, who upended the 2014-15 NE-10 Champions by limiting the Panthers to 27 percent shooting and forcing them to commit 24 turnovers.
Inside The Numbers
- Weissmann posted her first-ever 20-point game with her sharp shooting on Saturday. She set a new career high, eclipsing her 17-point total against Saint Anselm earlier this season. The 10 field goals were also a new personal best, as well as the 18 field-goal attempts
- Johnson also posted one of her strongest efforts of the season, falling two points shy of a double-double. Her 13 rebounds were the most by the junior-college transfer since her 16-rebound effort against Molloy
- The Merrimack defense played arguably its best game of the season. The Panthers did not connect on a three-point field goal (0-12), while the Panthers' 24 turnovers turned into 27 Warriors' points. Saturday marked the third time this season that the Navy and Gold have not allowed a three-pointer
- Neild continues to shine as one of Merrimack's 10 reserves. She posted her third double-figure scoring game of the season with 11 points, hitting 3-of-4 from the field and making all four of her free throws
- Merrimack's defense clamped down on Adelphi's leading scorer Sierra Clark. After Clark finished the first quarter with 10 points and six rebounds, she only had two points and two boards the rest of the afternoon
- Senior Tia Scott (Harlem, N.Y.) flirted with her third triple-double of the season, posting 10 points, nine assists and seven rebounds
Up Next
The Warriors travel to American International for their lone game next week on Tuesday night. Tipoff from Springfield, Mass. is set for 5:30 p.m.
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