Links: Box Score
EASTON, Mass. – The Merrimack College women's basketball team suffered a 62-57 defeat on Wednesday night in Easton, Mass. when the Warriors visited No. 23 Stonehill College to face the Skyhawks at Merkert Gymnasium. The Skyhawks were aided by a 12-2 run that spanned the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth, creating the night's 11th and final lead change and giving the hosts a lead they never relented.
The Basics
Score: #23 Stonehill 62,
Merrimack 57
Records: Merrimack (4-3, 0-3 NE10) | #23 Stonehill (6-1, 3-1 NE10)
Location: Merkert Gymnasium | Easton, Mass.
Rapid Recap
- A quarter of runs played out in the opening frame. The Skyhawks scored the first six points of the quarter, but Merrimack followed by hitting three straight 3-pointers – two from senior Lindsay Werner – to take a 9-6 lead at the 6:35 mark. The hosts punched back with a 9-0 spurt to open a six-point lead, but the Warriors recovered the end the frame on a 7-0 stretch to take a 16-5 lead into the second. Werner's triple with 2:02 left in the first gave Merrimack the lead, while the Warriors' defense held the Skyhawks scoreless over the final four minutes of the first
- The second quarter saw more back-and-forth action, as the Skyhawks evened the game at 21-all with 6:49 left until halftime after the division rivals traded points to start the quarter. Five straight points from freshman Kayla Raymond gave the hosts a 28-25 lead, but junior Emily Houle ignited the Warriors with back-to-back triples to end the quarter and gave the visitors a 31-28 advantage through 20 minutes
- The Skyhawks surged ahead by seven, 38-31, following a 10-0 run to start the third quarter. Similar to the first quarter, the Warriors responded with consecutive treys including a bucket from freshman Kate Mager that cut Merrimack's deficit to one (38-37) with 5:51 left in the quarter. Stonehill's increased its lead back to five, 42-37, but the Warriors responded with six unanswered to take a one-point lead. Sophomore Mayson Kimball scored four of six points during the run
- A late bucket gave the Skyhawks a lead entering the fourth, starting a run that saw the Skyhawks scored 12 of night's next 14 points. The hosts owned a 54-45 lead at the 6:41 mark, which grew to 11 (58-47) with less than five minutes to go. Merrimack trimmed its deficit to three points twice, but did not get any closer as the Skyhawks held the Warriors scoreless over the final 1:47 of the game to prevail
Notes and Numbers
- Junior Denia Davis-Stewart wound up leading Merrimack offensively with 14 points, her first time leading the team in scoring this season. The starting center nearly recorded her second double-double of the year with a team-high nine rebounds
- Werner and Kimball joined Davis-Stewart in double figures with 13 points apiece
- Merrimack also received solid production from its bench, with the Warriors' reserves scoring 24 points. Houle and classmate Alyssa Torres combined for 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting
- Stonehill corralled 19 more rebounds than Merrimack (49-30), resulting in a 17-4 edge in second-chance points
- Three Skyhawks scored in doubles figures, paced by Raymond's 19 points
- All three of Merrimack's league games to date have been decided by six points or less
Up Next
Merrimack continues a two-game road swing on Saturday afternoon when the Warriors face Saint Anselm at 1:30 p.m. from Stoutenburgh Gym in Manchester, N.H.
