MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - The Monmouth University women's basketball team came back to defeat first-place Robert Morris, 51-50 on a Chanel Gomez (Perth, Amboy, N.J. /Perth Amboy [Brookdale]) basket with 0.6 seconds remaining in Northeast Conference competition on Saturday afternoon at the Charles L. Sewall Center. The Hawks improve to 8-9 overall and 3-3 in the NEC, while the Colonials fall to 10-7 and 5-1 in the league.
On the game's deciding play, freshman guard Carly Thibault (East Lyme, Conn. /East Lyme) was trapped in the left corner, but was able to step through and loft an entry pass to Gomez, who turned and finished with her left hand for the win. Robert Morris' desperation half-court attempt at the buzzer fell short, and the Hawks escaped with the win and a sweep of the league's Western Pennsylvania road trip.
"This is one of my favorite all-time wins; this really was one for the ages," said Monmouth Head Coach Stephanie V. Gaitley. "We wanted to see what we were made of on this road trip, and I think the kids grew up a lot. This win and this trip proved we are a team to be reckoned with in this league."
Monmouth whittled down RMU's 13-point second half lead to a single basket at 44-42 after fifth-year senior Laura Forbes (Eatontown, N.J. /Monmouth Regional) hit a pair of free throws with 3:06 left in the contest. The Hawks then cut the Colonials' advantage to 48-46 after an Alysha Womack (Springfield, Pa./ Cardinal O'Hara) triple, and after RMU missed the front end of a 1-and-1, Thibault canned a right corner three to put MU up 49-48 with 9.3 seconds left.
The Hawks then fouled RMU's Vega Gimeno-Martinez, who made both free throws in the double bonus to put the host's up 50-49 with 7.9 seconds remaining, setting up Gomez's heroics.
Thibault hit a three to put the Hawks up four, but RMU guard Angela Pace's pull up jumper in transition tied the contest at 7-7 with 12:10 left before halftime. Newcomer Gabby Singer (Harrisburg, Pa. /Central Dauphin) swished home a left wing three to bring the Hawks within a point at 13-12 with 6:55 to go in the first half.
With MU down seven, freshman Erin Rooney (Christchurch, N.Z. /Marian College) connected on a triple to cut the host's lead to 19-15 with just less than two minutes to go in the opening period. The Colonials took a 20-17 lead into intermission, led by five points from Kristine Silaraja. Defense was the story of the first half, as neither team shot better than 30% from the floor and the two squads combined for 21 turnovers.
Singer paced the Hawks, who were kept in the game in the first half by their long-range shooting, with five points and four boards. MU had seven first half field goals, three of which were from beyond the arc.
Robert Morris came out of the halftime lockers and raced out to a 31-23 lead with 15:26 left in the contest, paced by a traditional three-point play from Gimeno-Martinez. The Colonials extended their advantage to 36-23 two minutes later after a Pace baseline runner.
Consecutive scores from Singer helped MU cut the Colonials' lead to 43-37 with 6:50 left in the game. After Alexis Canady (Forestville, Md. /Bishop McNamara) drew the defense and fed Forbes for an underneath basket, RMU's lead stood at 44-40 with 4:30 remaining.
Singer led a balanced Hawks scoring attack with 11 points and seven rebounds, while Thibault added 10. Canady contributed six points and four assists, while Womack added six points, six board and three assists.
Mary Durojaye led the Colonials, who fell for the first time in league play this season, with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Monmouth returns to action on Thursday, January 21st when it hosts Saint Francis University at 5:00 pm at the Multipurpose Activity Center.
