Links: Box Score
Video: Highlights
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College women's basketball program owned a 56-50 advantage late in the fourth quarter over visiting Le Moyne College – the hottest team in the Northeast-10 Conference with a league-best nine-game winning streak – only to see the Dolphins end the game on an 8-0 run, capturing a 58-56 win from Hammel Court.
Merrimack overcame an early 17-8 hole after one quarter, snatching its lead back in the third quarter and building it up to as many as seven in the final frame. Four Warriors scored in double figures, including a 10-point, eight-assist and six-steal effort for senior
Karlee Alves. Junior
Denia Davis-Stewart added her sixth double-double in nine games with 10 points and 11 caroms.
The Basics
Score: Le Moyne 58,
Merrimack 56
Records: Merrimack (11-7, 4-7 NE10) | Le Moyne (14-2, 8-2 NE10)
Location: Hammel Court | North Andover, Mass.
Rapid Recap
- Le Moyne's conference-leading defense held serve in the first quarter. Merrimack shot just 25 percent in the opening frame, while the visitors' offense excelled at a 53.3 percent clip (8-15). Merrimack held a 5-4 lead early, but an 11-1 Le Moyne run enabled the Dolphins to eventually hold a 17-8 advantage after 10 minutes
- With the Dolphins ahead by 12, 27-15, Merrimack went on its first extended run of the day. The Warriors scored seven unanswered – featuring a straightaway triple from sophomore Mayson Kimball – to make it a seven-point game (27-20). Merrimack then scored nine of the next 14, pulling within two, 31-29, following a 3-pointer with 20 seconds let by sophomore Alyssa Casey. The Dolphins were able to hit a buzzer-beater, however, taking a four-point lead to halftime
- Both teams traded 5-0 stretches in the third quarter, finding Merrimack down by two, 38-36, at the 4:44 mark of the frame. With Le Moyne up 40-38, Merrimack used a bucket from Casey followed by back-to-back makes by Davis-Stewart to climb ahead of the Dolphins, 44-40. Le Moyne would hit a triple late in the quarter, however, to make it a one-point game entering the fourth
- The first six minutes of the final quarter belonged to Merrimack. Alves scored six straight points by herself – a 3-pointer followed by a conventional three-point player – to increase Merrimack's lead to seven. The point guard then sank another jumper at the 4:09 mark to make it a 56-50 game in favor of the hosts
- The last four minutes swung the game in Le Moyne's favor, however. The visitors scored the night's final eight points, with a triple by junior McKayla Roberts sealing the deal at the 0:43 mark, creating the night's third and final lead change
Notes and Numbers
- Alves posted at least six steals for the fourth time this season and first in over two months. The Ellington, Conn. native scored in double figures for the fifth time this season; all but one of those occurrences have come at Hammel Court
- Davis-Stewart's double-double trend continued. The Dorchester, Mass. native has also scored in double figures in four straight games and eight of her last nine overall
- Merrimack owned double-digit advantages in points in the paint (32-18) and points off turnovers (18-8). Le Moyne's reserves outscored the Warriors', 16-9
- The Dolphins' NE10-best scoring defense held serve, limiting Merrimack to 36.9 percent shooting. The Warriors made 6-of-20 from beyond the arc
- Le Moyne increased its winning streak to 10 behind a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds for Roberts. The floor general made five of Le Moyne's eight 3-pointers, as well
Up Next
Merrimack returns to the Hammel Court floor Wednesday night, playing its lone game of the week against the University of New Haven. Tip-off against the Chargers is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
