LORETTO, Pa. -
Four Hawks scored in double-figures, but a 21-4 second-half run by Saint
Francis (Pa.) pushed the Red Flash past the Monmouth University women's
basketball team, 82-69, Monday night at DeGol Arena. With the loss, the Hawks
fall to 2-6 (0-2 NEC), while the Red Flash improves to 4-3 (2-0 NEC) with the victory.
Carly Thibault (East Lyme,
Conn./East Lyme) scored a team-high 18 points, while Abby Martin (Maplewood,
N.J./Columbia) added 14 points and six rebounds. Alexis Canady (Forestville,
Md./Bishop McNamara) added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Gena Broadus
(Washington, D.C./Archbishop Carroll) established season highs with 10 points
and nine rebounds.
Nickia Gibbs led all scorers
with 25 points, while Alli Williams added 21 for Saint Francis. Alexa Hayward
scored 13 of her 18 points in the second half.
A fast-paced
first half ended with the Hawks holding a 36-35 advantage. Thibault led the
Hawks with 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting, including 3-for-5 from long distance.
The Red Flash's Williams countered with 13 points of her own on 6-of-7 shooting.
The Hawks shot 50.0 percent (13-26) in the first half, besting the Red Flash's
43.3 percent (13-30) performance.
The Hawks jumped
ahead, 46-41, on the strength of four points from Betsy Gadziala (Whitesboro,
N.Y./Whitesboro). But the Red Flash jumped ahead with a 21-4 run and never
looked back. The Saint Francis lead swelled to as many as 16 points with just
over two minutes remaining. The Hawks committed 26 turnovers for the second-straight
game, directly resulting in 36 points for the Red Flash. Meanwhile, the Hawks
turned 15 Red Flash turnovers into 15 points.
Monmouth shot
just 34.3 percent (12-35) in the second half, including a 1-of-9 effort from
long distance. By contrast, the Red Flash shot 43.8 percent (14-32) in the second
half, burying 5-of-13 three-point attempts.
For the game, the
Red Flash outshot the Hawks, 43.5 percent (27-62) to 41.0 percent (25-61),
including a 30.4 percent (7-23) to 28.6 percent (6-21) from long range. Saint
Francis also took a 67.7 percent (21-31) to 65.0 percent (13-20) edge from the
free-throw line. Monmouth outrebounded the Red Flash, 43-37.
Monmouth returns
home to face Garden State foe Saint Peter's on Saturday. Opening tip from the
MAC is scheduled for 3 p.m.
