NORTH ANDOVER, MA - The Merrimack women's basketball team takes on Rider from Lawler Arena this Saturday Tip off is set for 12 p.m. noon
Warriors Are Here To Play!
The Warriors are rolling in MAAC play, winning nine of their twelve games. The Merrimack defense has kept opponents under 60 points in seven of those games. Against Sacred Heart in their last home contest the Warriors exploded for 22 point victory. The 47 points allowed are the least amount against a D1 opponent all season. In the victory, Lydia Melaschenko hit six 3-pointers putting herself three triples away from breaking the single season record for 3-pointers of 76. In a 24 point victory over Iona and two season-series clinching wins the week prior, Lydia Melaschenko exploded for 19 total 3-pointers. She made eight against Saint Peter's just to do the same thing again on Saturday in a double-digit victory over Mount St. Mary's. Oralye Kiefer scored a career high 22 points in the teams latest game against Iona. She hit six three-pointers. Four other Warriors scored in double-digits in the win. Molly Manion exploded for 27 against Mount St. Mary's, the most of her career. She shot over 50% from the field making 12 shots, the most by a Merrimack player this season.
Who to Watch
Not only does Lydia Melaschenko lead the MAAC in 3-pointers per game, she leads THE NATION in 3-pointers per game, averaged 3.19 per game. Melaschenko added six treys in the 22 points win over Sacred Heart last Thursday scoring 22. She is three 3's away from breaking the program record for 3-pointers in a season. In a matinee win over Iona the last week, Melaschenko played in all 40 minutes and scored 16 with three 3-pointers. In two wins the week prior she hit 8 3-pointers each, one shy of the program record of nine. The stellar performance earned her MAAC Player of the Week honors.
The MAAC's leading rebounder Madison Roman chipped in eight rebounds on a 21 point day from field last Thursday. Roman shot 6-for-9 against Sacred Heart in the win. She has scored in double-digits twelve consecutive games. The Connecticut native put up a career high in rebounds two weeks ago when she came down with 22 against Saint Peter's, two shy of a program record.
Grad Year Balling
The conference leader in blocks, Oralye Kiefer, is averaging 2.5 blocks per game. She is tied for 11th in the nation in blocks per game. Kiefer set a career high in points with 22 in the teams win over the Gaels on last week, going 6-for-9 from three points range. She has posted 4+ blocks in three of her last five games.
Defending Like Warriors
The Warriors have allowed under 60 points in eight of their last 12 games and under 70 in ten of their last 12 games. Madison Roman leads the conference in defensive rebounds with 160 and Paloma Garcia is fifth in the MAAC in steals. Merrimack leads the conference as a team with 90 total blocked shots, highlighted by 50 from Oralye Kiefer.
