Dominant Third Quarter Delivers Postseason Berth to Women’s Basketball; Warriors Handle Stonehill, 75-66

Links: Box Score
Video: Highlights // Lindsay Werner Interview

NORTH ANDOVER, MASS. – The Merrimack College women's basketball team outscored the visiting Stonehill College Skyhawks by 17 in the third quarter, ballooning its 32-30 halftime advantage to a 59-40 edge through 30 minutes at Hammel Court on Wednesday night. Despite the Skyhawks closing the final margin of victory to nine, 75-66, the Warriors dispatched their visitors for their seventh win in eight games to move within one win of second place in the Northeast Division. The Skyhawks entered the night ranked sixth in the first edition of the NCAA Division II East Region poll, while Merrimack slotted in at No. 9.

If the regular season ended today, Merrimack would finish fourth in the Northeast Division. The 11-8 Warriors own a one-game lead over Southern New Hampshire (10-9) for fourth, and trail Saint Anselm (12-7) and Stonehill (12-7) by one for a chance to vault into the top three in the Northeast Division. Merrimack's victory on Wednesday officially clinched a spot in the NE10 Championship.

Senior Lindsay Werner established a new season high with 29 points against the Skyhawks, sinking a team-high 11 shots including three 3-pointers. Eleven of her points came in the third quarter, a frame that saw Merrimack close on a 15-2 run that spanned the final four minutes of the third. Junior Denia Davis-Stewart notched yet another double-double with 18 points and 12 caroms while adding five steals and a pair of blocks.

The Basics
Score: Merrimack 75, Stonehill 66
Records: Merrimack (18-8, 11-8 NE10) | Stonehill (17-8, 12-7 NE10)
Location: Hammel Court | North Andover, Mass.

Rapid Recap

• The first five minutes of the opening frame saw Merrimack open a 12-7 advantage. Senior Lindsay Werner and sophomore Alyssa Casey each hit a 3-pointer as part of the five-point advantage. Stonehill responded, however, with a 6-0 stretch that put the Skyhawks ahead by one with 3:12 left in the quarter. The contest was tied at 15-all, but senior Lexi Martin saved a ball appeared to be heading out of bounds which led to a wide-open trey for Casey, giving the hosts an 18-15 lead after 10 minutes
• Stonehill surged in front to start the second, leading by three, 23-20, at the 5:44 mark. The Warriors answered with six straight points, capped by a steal-and-score for Werner that made it a 26-23 game with 3:47 left until halftime. The visitors flipped the script again, scoring seven straight to take a brief 30-28 lead, but the Warriors netted the final four points to take a 32-30 lead to the locker room
• Werner hit the last five points of a 12-4 run to start the third quarter for Merrimack, building a 44-34 advantage for the Warriors midway through the frame. Stonehill did climb within six, 44-38, at the 3:59 mark, but Merrimack notched a 15-2 to end the quarter. The stretch was highlighted by two straight Davis-Stewart field goals, a triple for freshman Kate Mager and an up-and-under layup for senior Lexi Martin. The hosts started the fourth quarter with a 59-40 lead
• Merrimack's lead hovered around 15 points for the first 7:30 of the final quarter, with Werner hitting her final field goal to make it 70-53 Merrimack with under three minutes to play. Stonehill made things interesting from there, closing the night on a 13-5 run that cut the final margin of victory down to nine points. Werner hit four free throws down the stretch to ice the game

Notes and Numbers

• Merrimack's 18^th win is a new single-season high for head coach Monique LeBlanc, and the most of the program in 14 years
• Davis-Stewart recorded her fourth straight double-double and 13^th of the season. During her last four, she's totaled at least 12 points and 12 boards in every game
• Werner increased her career scoring total to 1,084 points, moving into 18^th in program history. After Wednesday, she now needs six 3-pointers to set a new school record for triples made (190)
• Sophomore Mayson Kimball registered 10 rebounds to go along with eight points. Classmate Alyssa Casey scored 10 points, the third Warrior in double figures on the night
• Despite having two more turnovers than Stonehill, Merrimack turned the Skyhawks' 21 miscues into 20 points while the Warriors relented just nine points on Stonehill possessions that followed a turnover
• Merrimack had an eight-rebound edge (42-34) over  Stonehill, resulting in an eight-point advantage (32-24) in points in the paint

Up Next
Merrimack concludes its home portion of the regular season when the Warriors welcome No. 14/16 Bentley University to Hammel Court for a 1 p.m. tip-off on Saturday. The contest will be Senior Day as the program will recognize its three seniors: Senior Karlee Alves, Martin and Werner. It will also be the program's "Pack The Mack" game, with each student in attendance receiving a free "Pack The Mack" shirt courtesy of the Athletics Department.