NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Merrimack College Women's basketball team capped off a mid-week matchup against the Sacred Heart Pioneers with a complete victory on Wednesday night from Hammel Court.
The Warriors were once again led by senior,
Kate Mager, who finished this one with a game high 20 points while going 4-9 from three-point land. Senior,
Carla Balague, had one of, if not her best game as a Warrior scoring 18 points while collecting five rebounds to create a really solid option off the bench. Merrimack got yet another impressive performance from junior,
Jayme DeCesare, who after setting her career high in rebounds with 10 last time out against St. Francis (PA), collected 10 yet again to go along with seven points, six assists, and three steals.
The Basics
Score: Merrimack 74, Sacred Heart University 65
Records: Merrimack (8-12, 6-6 NEC) | Sacred Heart University (5-12, 4-8 NEC)
Location: North Andover, Mass.
Rapid Recap
- The first quarter was a shootout to say the least with 33 total points being scored in total. The Warriors started this one shooting the lights out, which set the tone for the rest of the game as they started by going 47% from the field. Merrimack got their offense going the same way they have been since the new year and that is getting the ball to sophomore, Teneisia Brown. The Mount Vernon, N.Y. native got the ball after the winning the opening tip and got a lay up in the paint to fall for the first Warriors points of the night. After an SFU miss, DeCesare collected the defensive rebound and turned things up offensively. She surveyed her options and found Brown yet again in the paint to extend the lead early on. As time went on in the opening frame, the Warriors controlled play, but really took the momentum with just under three minutes to go when junior, Diamond Christian, got the ball off a steal from freshman, Ava Owens, and scored two on the fast break to keep the Warrior lead. On the following offensive possession, Christian got her own rebound, then put the ball up for another bucket. After yet another key stop on defense, Merrimack got the ball up and looked to make it a 6-0 run. They did exactly that when junior, Kaylee Thomas, whipped the ball down low to Balague who buried the lay up forcing a Pioneer timeout.
- The second quarter was dominated offensively by Balague and Mager for the Warriors as they scored 13 out of the 17 total Warrior points. After a quick run by the Pioneers, the Warriors got right back on track when DeCesare got the ball to Mager who drove right to the hoop for an easy lay in. Then after an SHU miss, the ball found its way to Mager yet again from DeCesare and she hit nothing but the bottom of the hoop for a Warrior triple. Then it was Balague's turn as she scored six straight Warrior points as Merrimack took a ten-point lead going into the locker room.
- After regrouping in the locker room, both sides had a bit of a feeling out process to start the second half as there was eight total points scored in opening 5:29 of the quarter. That all changed though as the offense really picked up the pace when Mager hit a big three pointer. Thomas then got a steal on the defensive glass, chucked a pass up to Christian who had nothing but time to nail the open layup. The momentum really swung Merrimack's way when Christian obtained another Warrior steal on the defensive end and quickly got the ball to a streaking DeCesare who drained a fast break shot from beyond the arch to extend the lead to 10.
- The fourth quarter saw the Warrior offense stay just as hot as it was the whole game as they shot a collective 46% from the field and hit 100% of their free throws. Mager hit two big three's down the stretch that seemed to take all of the wind out of the Pioneers sails in this one as the Warriors eventually came out of this one victorious.
Up Next
Merrimack will return to action after a quick turnaround as head back on the road when they travel to Central Connecticut State this Friday at 7:00 PM
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