MANCHESTER, N.H. (February 1, 2017) – Junior guard Jemma Thacker (Nairne, South Australia) scored a game and career-high 24 points and the Franklin Pierce University women's basketball team lost a close contest to Northeast-10 Conference opponent Saint Anselm College on Wednesday evening in the Stoutenburg Gymnasium. With the victory, the Hawks soar to 14-7, 9-6 NE10 and the loss was the Ravens 18th on the year.

Tonight versus Saint Anselm was the opening game of the women's team Coaches vs. Cancer 3-Point Challenge. FPU converted 7-of-16 (43.8%) from long range meaning $45.50 has been donated to the American Cancer Society. To make a pledge for the Coaches vs. Cancer 3-Point Challenge please click here.

Thacker was 10-of-15 (66.7%) from the hardwood and 4-of-7 (57.1%) from downtown. She also added five rebounds and three assists. Teammate Sarah Middleton (Barrington, R.I.) was the only other Raven player in double-figures as she racked up 13 points and a team-best five assists.

Leading Saint Anselm was Candace Andrews who scored 23 points on an 11-of-13 (84.7%) shooting performance. She also committed seven steals and dished out six helpers. Joining Andrews in double-figures was Kaila Duarte and Caitlyn Abela who poured in 13 points apiece.

The Hawks outscored the Ravens in the paint by a 46-20 margin and on the fast break (10-0). The Ravens kept possessions alive by snagging 10 offensive boards and scoring 13 points off the second chances.

Dana Campbell (Merrick, N.Y.) got the Ravens on the board first by hitting a jumper from the high post. FPU made a stop on defense which resulted in Thacker scoring a layup off the glass to give the Ravens an early 4-0 lead. On the next trip down the floor, Abela drained a trey from the wing off an Andrews feed.

Trailing by one, Thacker hit a three from the left corner to put Pierce up 7-5 and following a stop, Mikayla Deguire (Watervilet, N.Y.) drained a jumper from the baseline to increase the lead to four, 9-5.

Both teams swapped buckets over the next few minutes as the Hawks regained the slim advantage as Clairee Putnam converted a driving layup through the left part of the paint. Following a media timeout, Andrews tallied seven straight points as she split a pair of freebies then picked off a pass and scooped the rock off the glass for an uncontested two which gave Saint Anselm a 22-13 lead. The Hawks ended the period ahead 25-13 due to an Abela three from the top of the point at the buzzer.

The hosts used a 20-4 scoring binge over the final seven minutes of the quarter to hold their largest lead of the first half.

The second quarter was all Franklin Pierce as FPU scored seven in a row to start the second quarter. Deguire scored the first four points by banking in two from the low block twice which cut the deficit to eight points.

Andrews stole the rock from a Raven player, but then Cameryn Wilson (Newport News, Va.) committed a theft of Andrews. The ball circled the perimeter until the rock found Thacker and she notched a three-point field goal which cut the Hawk lead to 25-20.

The Hawks scored two on a layup down low and following that make, Thacker buried a jumper which kept the deficit at five. The Raven defense retained the Hawks from scoring which led to Middleton hitting a three from the right corner from Thacker which brought the Saint A's lead down to two, 27-25 with 3:57 left in the half.

Andrews scored two off a layup and a Thacker second chance bucket again cut the deficit to one possession. With under a minute to go, Andrews drained a fall-a-way shot from the baseline which grew her teams' lead to four, but Thacker answered by notching a three from the wing to close out the scoring as the Ravens trailed 33-32 at the break. Franklin Pierce outscored Saint Anselm 19-8 in the second quarter.

Thacker led all scorer at halftime with 15 points on a 6-of-9 (66.7%) shooting performance and a 3-of-6 (50.0%) showing from deep. Andrews matched Thacker's scoring output, but made all seven of her field goal attempts.

Saint Anselm scored the first eight points of the second half as Andrews notched four of them with two coming on a steal and coast to coast lay-in to put the Hawks ahead 41-32. Wilson stopped the run momentarily by pouring in a three from the right wing to make it 41-35.

Following a media timeout, Duarte increased her team's lead to 10 by draining a jumper. Campbell connected on a corner three to bring the deficit back down to single figures. The teams swapped points through the remainder of the quarter as the Ravens trailed by 11, 56-45 at the end of the third.

Wilson hit a turn-a-round jumper in the post which brought the Hawk lead to single figures at 58-49. On the next Raven trip down the court, Thacker hit a jumper inside the three-point line to make it a seven point, 58-51 contest at the 6:31 mark.

With the Ravens in the bonus, Middleton went into attacking mode as she slashed through the paint for the hoop and harm. Her three-point play made it a two possession game, 61-56. Three minutes later after holding the Hawks scoreless, Middleton converted another and1 to put the Ravens down only one, 61-60 with 1:35 left.

Andrews had an opportunity to add onto the Hawk lead, but she missed her jumper, then grabbed the offensive board and dished to Duarte who drew a foul and promptly hit both free throws to increase the lead to three, 63-60. The Ravens looked for the tying basket, but turned the ball over. Holding a three point lead, the Hawks committed a crucial turnover which gave the guests another chance to tie or come within one.

Middleton inbounded the rock to Thacker who used a pump fake to draw the defender off balance, but she was double-teamed and the other player altered her layup attempt underneath and the ball hit the rim and caromed to the floor. The guests were forced to foul which ended the chance for a Raven win.

The Ravens remain away from The Fieldhouse for their next duel on Saturday against NE10 opponent Stonehill with tip-off slated for 1:30 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce women's basketball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).