STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - The Monmouth University women's basketball team was defeated by Wagner College, 67-50 in Northeast Conference play on Saturday afternoon at the Spiro Sports Center. The Hawks (15-7, 7-4 NEC) trailed all second half in falling to the Seahawks (10-12, 3-8 NEC).
Abby Martin (Maplewood, N.J. /Columbia) led the Hawks with 12 points and six rebounds, while Erin Rooney (Christchurch, N.Z. /Marian College) added 11 points. Gabby Singer (Harrisburg, Pa. /Central Dauphin) gave MU a well-rounded game off the bench with seven points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Alysha Womack (Springfield, Pa. /Cardinal O'Hara) chipped in with eight points.
The Seahawks got out to an early 7-6 lead four minutes into the contest despite a pair of interior hoops from Martin. Six straight points from Rooney and a triple from Alexis Canady (Forestville, Md. /Bishop McNamara) helped MU to a 15-13 lead with 11:54 left in the opening half.
The host's pushed out to a 22-17 lead with just less than seven minutes remaining in the first period behind five quick points, including a three-pointer, from the league's top long-range shooter, Marie-Laurence Archambault.
Wagner had its 14-0 scoring run snapped by an Adriana Allen (Ajax, Ont. /Pickering) lay-up, but Seahawks took a 31-21 lead into halftime. The Hawks, who shot 31.8% in the first half, went over eight minutes without a field over final 9:35 of the first half. WC shot 55% in the first stanza, led by eight points from Archambault.
The two teams traded baskets through the first seven minutes of the second half, but Wagner increased its double-digit advantage at 45-30 with 12:40 left in regulation. Shira Shecht (Pardessiya, Israel, Hadassim) came in off the bench and promptly canned a three-pointer to cut Wagner's lead to 10, and MU got it back into single digits at 45-37 on the Seahawks' ensuing possession when Singer stole the ball and scored with 10:01 remaining in regulation.
Wagner got its lead back into figures with around four minutes to go and never looked back in earning its third league win.
Monmouth returns to action on Monday when it travels to Emmitsburg, Maryland for a 7:00 pm tip at Mount St. Mary's.
