EMMITSBURG, M.D. – The Merrimack College Women's Basketball team sprinted in a contest against the Mount Saint Mary's Mountaineers on Monday afternoon. Both sides were firing on all cylinders from the opening tip, but in the end the Mount ended this one in the win column.
Merrimack had a number of players who had an impact on this one at different times during the game. The first half saw sophomore,
Teneisia Brown, put on another great showing as she finished this one with 10 points and six rebounds. The second half saw graduate student,
Mayson Kimball, find her shot as it seemed like she couldn't miss. The Webster, N.H. native ended with 16 points and nine rebounds for the Warriors. Senior,
Kate Mager, returned to form after missing some time as she was shooting the lights out all day long. The New City, N.Y. native capped off a great game with a team high 22 points while going 8-12 from the field.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 70, Mount Saint Mary's 78
Records: Merrimack (4-10, 2-4 NEC) | Mount Saint Mary's (5-8, 3-3 NEC)
Location: Emmitsburg, M.D.
Rapid Recap
- The first quarter started and really set the pace for the rest of the game as both teams were in a bit of track race. The Warrior offense when graduate student, Paige McCormick, received a pass from her classmate Kimball and pulled up from beyond the arch for a three to get Merrimack going. Then as both teams were trading points, you could see the type of day Mager was going to have. The senior, hit a pull up right in front of her defender for two and then on the following possession drove the lane and hit a step back for two more. As both teams went blow for blow, the Warriors needed offense to come from everywhere and they got that as junior, Jayme DeCesare, who usually is a facilitator for the offense, used her quickness to get to the paint and then got stepped back and drained a mid-range jumper. This had the Warriors within two points of the Mountaineers as the game went to the second quarter.
- The next frame saw a bit more of the same from both sides as the track race continued from Emmitsburg. The Warriors started out the quarter exactly where they wanted as they got the ball to the paint where brown slipped past a defender a finished for two while getting fouled. Brown unfortunately missed the free throw, but the play wasn't over there as she got her own rebound and found a wide open Mager who swished home a three. After the Mount controlled possession for a bit, DeCesare came up big for the Warriors when she attacked the hoop with her patented speed. The defender was with her stride for stride, but then the Johnston, R.I. native spun off her defender and flipped up a shot off the glass and in for the bucket. Following up DeCesare's spin, senior, Carla Balague, made a nice move of her own a few possessions later as she flew her way to the hoop and pushed up a shot off the glass and in. As the half came to a close though, Mount Saint Mary's had the lead 36-28 so Merrimack had some work to do in the second half.
- After a fast paced first half and a much-needed rest in the locker room, the Warriors came out of the locker room ready to roll. In Merrimack's first offensive stand, Mager dipped into her bag of tricks and pulled off a great move where she drove the lane, stepped back off the defender and drained the mid-range jumper. Then after both sides traded buckets for yet another time in this one, Kimball found the ball at the top of the key and she lobbed a pass over the Mount Saint Mary defense to Brown who laid it off the glass and in for two. A few minutes later, from almost the exact same spot, freshman, Ava Owens, threw an almost identical pass, but this time it was to sophomore, Amaya Staton, who followed up Brown's shot with one of her own. On the following offensive opportunity for the Warriors DeCesare fought hard for a loose ball and just got it out to Owens. The Pelham, N.H. native then surveyed the floor and spotted a wide open Mager beyond the arch who drained another three. The Warriors tacked on a few more chances and were within 10 with one quarter to go.
- After struggling in the first three quarters, the final frame was all Mayson Kimball for the Warriors. The graduate student saw all 16 of her points come in the fourth quarter as the comeback was in full effect for Merrimack. After Mager started the quarter off well for the Warriors with yet another jumper from mid-range that fell, Merrimack had some work to do. After a defensive stand, the ball found its way to junior, Diamond Christian, who pushed the ball up the court and delivered a cross-court pass to Kimball who softly put up a shot off the glass and in. On the following possession Kimball found herself one on one with a Mountaineer defender. She then made a move to the outside, faking the defender out, and had an open avenue to the basket where she converted. Then after the Mount put up a bucket, the Warriors found themselves having to make a stop and they did exactly that. The Mountaineers forced up a shot that didn't go and Kimball came away with the rebound.She passed it up to Christian who then set up the offense for the Warriors and it paid off. The Bronx, N.Y. native chucked a pass over to Kimball who stepped into a three ball and sunk it for her fourth straight bucket. Unfortunately, it was too little too late for the Warriors as the Mountaineers held on to take this one 78-70.
Up Next
Merrimack will head back on the road once again as they travel to Smithfield, R.I. to take on the Bryant University Bulldogs on Friday, January 21
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For continuing coverage of Merrimack College Athletics, visit MerrimackAthletics.com and follow the Warriors on Twitter and on Facebook.
