Links: Box Score
LAKEWOOD, N.J. – Facing a steep 19-point deficit after an 8-0 run for No. 25 Caldwell University to start the third quarter, the Merrimack College women's basketball program started to chip away before an 18-2 fourth-quarter run allowed the Warriors to erase a 62-46 hole and tie their contest against the nationally ranked Cougars with just 1:20 to play. Caldwell, however, was able to go back in front, 66-64, while Merrimack failed to score on its final two possessions to allow the Cougars to escape with a win in the programs' final game at the Georgian Court Invitational on Sunday.
The Basics
Score: #25 Caldwell 66,
Merrimack 64
Records: Merrimack (1-1) | Caldwell (2-0)
Location: GCU Wellness Center | Lakewood, N.J.
Marquee Moments:
- Caldwell built its 19-point lead due to its proficient three-point shooting. The Cougars made 8-of-14 in the first half to build an 11-point halftime lead, making three straight triples to end the second quarter
- The Cougars then widened their lead to 46-27 after scoring the first eight points of the third quarter
- Merrimack stayed within striking distance in the third, but the fourth quarter proved to be the Warriors' best effort. The Warriors outscored the Cougars by 16 over a five-minute span to tie the game, holding Caldwell to just two points from the 6:44 mark of the fourth to when Caldwell snatched the lead back with 1:02 to play
Rapid Recap
- The Warriors hung with the nationally ranked Cougars in the first quarter. Junior Karlee Alves: (Ellington, Conn.) netted five first-quarter points, while the first 10 minutes were tied on five occasions. Classmate Lindsay Werner (Groton, Mass.) hit a triple to make it 15-all, but a 5-0 Caldwell run ended the frame and gave them a 20-15 lead
- A 9-2 run to start the second quarter extended the Cougars' lead to double figures, 29-19, with 4:56 left. The two squad's traded buckets from there, with Caldwell taking a 11-point lead at the break (38-27)
- The Cougars broke the game open in the third, using an 8-0 run to start the quarter to build a 46-27 lead
- At the 5:16 mark of the third, freshman Alyssa Casey (Andover, Mass.) hit a layup to give her 11 points on the day and gave her the first double-double of her career.
- Shortly following Casey's two-pointer, Werner scored all of the Warriors' points during an 8-2 stretch that brought the Navy and Gold's deficit down to 11, 52-41. Caldwell took a 56-43 lead to the fourth
- Casey drilled a three 50 seconds into the fourth, but Caldwell answered with a 6-0 spurt to build its lead back to double digits
- From there, the 18-2 run ensued. Fifteen of the 18 points during the Warriors' game-tying fourth-quarter run came from the duo of Casey and Werner. Freshman Mayson Kimball (Webster, N.H.) added two free throws while Alves' free throw with 1:20 on the clock tied the game at 64-all
- Caldwell's Kristen Siscamanis hit what ended up being the game-winning field goal with 1:02 to play. Merrimack had two possession to tie or take the lead, but committed a turnover and missed a three-point attempt as time expired
Notes and Notables
- Casey nearly finished the first half with a double-double, totaling nine points and 10 boards. She finished the afternoon with 21 points on 9-of-17 shooting including a pair of three-points, while pulling down 17 rebounds. Sixteen of those caroms came on the defensive glass, while she totaled over half of Merrimack's rebounds on the day (17-of-33)
- The 17 boards is the most in an individual came for a Warrior since February of 2013, when Kelly Schatzlein '13 pulled down 19 boards
- After entering the season with three career 20-point games, Werner notched back-to-back 20-point efforts to start he junior year. She finished with a game-high 23, making 7-of-11 from the field and 4-of-5 from distance
- During Caldwell's 10-point fourth quarter, Merrimack's defense held Caldwell to 3-of-11 scoring including a run of seven consecutive missed shots
- Three Cougars scored in double figures, led by 17 for Senior All-American Kristen Drogsler
Up Next
The Warriors open Northeast-10 Conference action on Wednesday when Merrimack faces Assumption at 5:30 p.m. in Worcester.
