JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Monmouth University women's basketball team defeated Saint Peter's College, 74-50 on Thursday evening at the Yanitelli Center in nonconference action. The Hawks earn their first win of the 2010-11 season, improving to 1-1, while the Peahens fall to 0-3.
"Anytime you get the kind of balanced scoring that we got tonight, you're going to be successful," said MU head coach Stephanie V. Gaitley. "I thought that we did a great job tonight stopping their runs, and to get this win, sandwiched between road games at Maryland and Marquette, is big for us."
Alysha Womack (Springfield, Pa. /Cardinal O'Hara) paced three Hawks in double-figures with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Abby Martin (Maplewood, N.J. /Columbia) contributed 14 points and five rebounds, while Erin Rooney (Christchurch, N.Z. /Marian College) added 13 points, four rebounds and four assists.
MU led by at least eight points all second half, with its largest advantage being the final score of 74-50.
The Hawks raced out to a 10-3 lead five minutes into the first half behind five early points, including a three and a transition lay-in, from Womack. The host's closed the gap to 16-13 with 11:14 left in the opening half after sophomore Carly Thibault (East Lyme, Conn. /East Lyme) found classmate Martin for a bucket on a fast break.
The back-and-forth first half continued as Womack helped Monmouth regain its lead at 20-19 with 7:36 left in the opening after gathering a steal and converting the fast-break lay-up. The Hawks took their biggest lead of the game at that point, going in front by a score of 31-21, with just less than four minutes left before halftime.
MU took a 42-29 lead into halftime after consecutive three-pointers from Womack and Rooney. The Blue and White connected on 6-of-13 triples in the first 20 minutes, while also converting 10-of-14 free throws. Womack led MU with 15 first-half points, while Rooney contributed 11 in the opening stanza.
After SPC cut Monmouth's lead into single-digits, Thibault buried a three from straight to push MU's advantage to 53-41 with just less than 11 minutes left in the game.
Junior Alexis Canady (Forestville, Md. /Bishop McNamara) had eight points and 10 rebounds, while Thibault added eight points and a pair of three-pointers.
MU shot 41.8% from the field for the game, including 8-of-21 from three-point range, while limiting the Peahens to 34.5% shooting.
Charlene Riddick and Jynae Judson each added 11 points for SPC, Teresa Manigrasso contributed nine points.
Monmouth returns to action on Sunday when it visits Marquette for a 3:00 pm (central time) nonconference affair.
