FAIRFIELD, CT– The Merrimack College Women's basketball team was defeated as their season came to an end in the semifinals of the NEC tournament at the hands of number one seeded Sacred Heart.
The Basics
Score: Sacred Heart 73,
Merrimack 41
Records: Sacred Heart (23-9, 16-1),
Merrimack (12-19, 9-9)
Location: Pitt Center / Fairfield, CT
Rapid Recap
Merrimack had lost their previous three meetings to Sacred Heart including a loss to this very team in the semifinals last year. The Warriors wanted to avenge the past three losses and have the potential to get to the NEC championship game. They started on fire jumping out to an 8-3 lead. The scoring would then go quiet for MC as the Pioneers would go on a 17-1 run to close out the first quarter. The Warriors looked to quiet the crowd and ignite the offense in the second quarter. They would be able to do that with a 10-2 run to start the frame after some clutch scoring from
Jayme DeCesare and
Kaylee Thomas. Merrimack would cut the lead to just three at 22-19 and force the Pioneers to use a timeout. Sacred Heart would follow that up with a 7-0 run of their own. MC would head into the half trailing by just seven after
Kaylee Thomas drilled a three to end the half.
Merrimack had momentum after the five point burst to close out the first half. However the Warriors would not be able to carry that into the third quarter as the offense could not get much of anything going and Sacred Heart's offense started to catch fire. Merrimack was still able to keep it close after a few runs and even cut it to single digits. MC would be down just 11 going into the fourth. In order to pull back into it they would need the offense. The SHU defense was suffocating and nothing was dropping for the Warriors. An 11 point deficit turned into 15 then 20 then 25. Merrimack couldn't keep up with the high octane attack of the Pioneers as their season would come to a close. With the 73-41 win Sacred Heart will represent the NEC in the NCAA tournament as Le Moyne is not eligible.
Notes and Numbers
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