Pace Shoots Past Franklin Pierce, 71-53
Setters break game open after intermission
PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (January 8, 2004) - Pace University fell behind early, but rallied for a halftime lead before breaking the game open midway through the second half to post a 71-53 victory over Franklin Pierce in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at the Goldstein Athletic Center tonight.
Pace limited Franklin Pierce to 23.8-percent (5-21) shooting from the field over the final 20 minutes as the Setters turned a three-point (32-29) halftime advantage into the 18-point victory. Meanwhile, Pace shot 44.4% (12-27) from the floor in the final stanza, including 46.2% (6-13) from three-point range.
Junior guard Andrea Padelsky (Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon) hit seven-of-14 shots from the field, including 6-11 from three-point range, to lead the Setters with 23 points to go with three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals. Senior Jen Kauffman (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) added 16 points and seven assists, while classmate Melissa Liverpool (Laurel, Md./Laurel) chipped in ten points (all second half). Freshman Hannah Sheppard (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) grabbed a game-high ten rebounds to go with nine points, two blocks and three steals.
No Franklin Pierce players reached double-figures as freshmen Danielle D'Ettorre (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/St. Mary's) and Kerra Lain (Oakville, Ontario/T.A. Blakelock) each netted a team-best eight points. Lain did so in 16 minutes of work as she also registered four rebounds. D'Ettorre (22 mins) grabbed three boards. Sophomore Maria Clifton (New York, N.Y./Saint Michael's Academy) finished with six points, a team-best seven rebounds (four offensive) and two assists.
The Ravens held a pair of six-point leads midway through the first half after fast break lay-ups from senior Susan Ocitti (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge R&L) and freshman CiCi Williams (Boston, Mass./East Boston). Pace rallied and gained a three-point edge at the break, closing the half with a 7-3 run.
A pair of three-pointers from freshman Mollie Stelmack (New Westminster, British Columbia/New Westminster) knotted the score 1:06 into the second half and then gave the Ravens a 37-36 advantage 3:31 into the stanza.
However, that would be the last lead Franklin Pierce would enjoy as Pace used an 11-0 run midway through the half to extend a one-point lead (45-44) at 9:45 into a 12-point edge (56-44) with 6:27 to play. Padelsky canned a pair of three's and Liverpool added a trifecta to spark the rally.
The Ravens drew within seven points (58-51) after a lay-up from junior Patricia Lang (Monroe, N.H./Saint Johnsbury Academy) with 3:40 to play, but Pace rounded out the game with a 13-2 run.
Franklin Pierce (6-6, 2-6 NE-10) returns to action on Saturday when it visits Southern Connecticut State University at 1:30 p.m. Pace (8-5, 5-3 NE-10) visits UMass Lowell on Saturday at 2 p.m.