NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College Women's Basketball team had a bounce back afternoon when they took on the St. Francis University Red Flash from Hammel Court. The Warriors got off to a hot start and never looked back as they eventually took down the Red Flash by a score of 69-64.
The Warriors were led by junior,
Jayme DeCesare, who had another complete performance in the stat sheet. The Johnston, R.I. native finished the contest with 10 points, 10 rebounds (career high), three assists, and three steals. Offensively, senior,
Kate Mager, was on fire as she capped off the game with game high 20 points while going 7-11 from the field (63%). Graduate student,
Mayson Kimball, added some clutch shots down the stretch for Merrimack as she concluded this one with 15 points while going 3-3 from beyond the arch.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 69, St. Francis University 64
Records: Merrimack (7-12, 5-6 NEC) | St. Francis University (6-17, 6-6 NEC)
Location: North Andover, Mass.
Rapid Recap
- The first quarter was one of the best for Merrimack all season as they shot an impressive 66.7% from the field on the way to scoring 27 points. The Warriors didn't waste any time getting their offense going in this one as in the first possession, DeCesare got the ball to Mager who shot one right in for a three to set the tone. After a defensive stop and another Warrior bucket, Merrimack found the ball on the offensive side yet again. That's where graduate student, Paige McCormick, went to work and made an array of moves to shake her defender before scooping it up and in for two. Kimball then got in on the fun as the Webster N.H. native got an isolation play where she hit nothing but the bottom of the net to extend the Warrior lead to 10-0. After allowing their first point of the game on a free throw attempt, the Warriors went right back to work. Off a missed free throw, DeCesare whipped a pass up the floor to Mager who made a move to the inside and found a streaking, Teneisia Brown, who laid it in for Merrimack. On the following possession for the Red Flash, Kimball stripped her matchup of the ball and went all the way down the other way for another bucket for the Warriors. After a bit of a run for the Red Flash, the Warriors looked to snag back to momentum before the quarter ended and they did exactly that. DeCesare called a play up past half court and brought the ball up towards the three-point line, but when no one picked her up on defense she let a three go and it was pure to extend the early lead for the Warriors. Then as time was expiring in the first quarter, senior, Carla Balague, got a pass, handled it, and put a shot up that was good as time ticked off the clock to cap off an incredible opening frame.
- The second quarter started in a very similar way to the first with a Mager bucket. The New City, N.Y. native slid off of a screen and pulled up just passed the free throw line to nail the shot, starting the game off 4-4 from the field. After yet another stop on the defensive end, the Warriors turned defense into offense when DeCesare found a streaking, Kaylee Thomas, who had nothing but time to drain the open triple. It was a defensive game for the remainder of the first half as neither team could find a groove offensively, but the Warriors early lead had them grooving heading into the locker room.
- After regrouping in the locker room both teams came out looking to take over this one and unfortunately for the Warriors, the Red Flash came out firing outscoring Merrimack 16-12 to eventually draw within ten points. The Warriors fought their way through the third quarter and found the momentum switch back their way when Balague got a pass in the paint from Thomas and then spun off her defender for two. After denying the Red Flash of an offensive scoring chance, the Warriors had the ball looking to take back over and they turned to their hottest scorer in Mager. After a big time rebound from DeCesare, she kicked it out to Mager who chucked up a three from deep hitting nothing but net setting up a big final ten minutes.
- The final quarter was set up to be an intense one from the start as both teams traded buckets to open the frame. Mager continued her hot streak from the field hitting a big bucket to get the Warriors going early. Then in the following possession McCormick drained a mid-range shot to keep the lead where it was. Then the Red Flash came at the Warriors going on an impressive 8-0. That was put to an end though when Kimball got the ball and drove to the hoop hard where she was fouled and got the bucket to go. She went on to hit the free throw to complete the three-point play that all but sealed this one.
Up Next
Merrimack will take to the court in yet another home game in a midweek showdown against the Sacred Heart University Pioneers, this Wednesday at 7:00 PM.
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