WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University women's basketball team routed Central Connecticut State, 79-62 in Northeast Conference action on Thursday afternoon in front of a season-high 1,548 at the Mulitpurpose Activity Center. The Hawks improve to 6-8 and 1-2 in the league, while the Blue Devils fall to 4-9 and 1-2 in the NEC.
"Anytime you shoot 60% and have the sixth man that the 'Matinee at the MAC' provided, it's a tough combination for anyone to beat," said Gaitley.
Monmouth's 79 points marks the highest total the Hawks have scored in head coach Stephanie V. Gaitley's tenure in West Long Branch, and the Hawks' 12 three-point field goals ties a program mark set on February 14, 2005 against Saint Francis (Pa.).
MU's lead grew to as many as 25 with 7:23 left in the second half. Freshman Alysha Womack (Springfield, Pa. /Cardinal O'Hara) led all scorers with a career-high 25 points on 10-of-12 shooting, including a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point range. Fellow newcomer Carly Thibault (East Lyme, Conn. /East Lyme) tied her career-high with 14 points, including four three-pointers.
MU connected on its first six shots, and seven of its first eight, to take a 15-12 lead with 13:30 left in the first half. Womack scored nine points during that span, including a three-pointer from the top of the key.
The Hawks' starters continued their hot-shooting, connecting on their first 12 shots, to take a 33-24 lead with 4:53 remaining in the first half. Womack connected on her first seven shots, including three triples, to account for 17 of the team's points in the first half. Monmouth took a 41-26 lead into the halftime locker room, the first time the Hawks have scored that many points in a half since February 21, 2009, when they defeated Robert Morris 77-69.
MU shot 59.3% in the first half (16-for-27), including 53.8% (7-of-13) from beyond the arc. Womack's 17 points in the first half eclipsed her previous career-high of 15, and she did it in 10 minutes because of foul trouble. Fellow newcomers Erin Rooney (Christchurch, N.Z. /Marian College) and Adriana Allen (Ajax, Ont. /Pickering) added seven points apiece in the opening half. The Hawks assisted on 11 of their 16 first field goals, with Rooney adding four helpers and Allen contributing three.
Womack picked up right where she left off in the first half, canning a three to extend her personal shooting streak to eight straight field goals in the game. She misfired on her next shot, but the Hawks had built up a 50-32 lead with 15:20 left in the game.
After CCSU cut Monmouth's lead to 13 following a Leann Crockett three and a Brooke Bailey jumper, Thibault canned a three to increase MU's advantage back to 57-39 with 10:43 left in the game.
Rooney added nine points and a career-high six assists, while Alexis Canady (Forestville, Md. /Bishop McNamara) contributed nine points and a career-best five helpers. Abby Martin (Maplewood, N.J. /Columbia) added eight points and seven boards, while Chanel Gomez (Perth Amboy, N.J. /Perth Amboy [Brookdale]) and Allen scored seven points.
MU shot 59.6% (31-of-52) from the floor in the game, including a program-record 12-for-22 from beyond the arc. The Hawks added a season-high 21 assists in the contest.
The Hawks and Blue Devils played before a season-high home crowd of 1,548 at the "Matinee at the MAC." The game was attended by local grade school students from kindergarten through eighth grade that went to the game as a field trip. The day began with addresses from former Monmouth women's basketball and soccer standout and US National Team member Christie Rampone, as well as from Coach Stephanie V. Gaitley.
Monmouth returns to action on Saturday, January 9th when it hosts Bryant at 3:00 pm, with the Hawks and Bulldogs' men's teams playing later that evening at 7:00 pm.
