WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - The Monmouth University women's basketball team, seeded second, defeated fourth-seeded Robert Morris University, 65-62 in the semifinals of the 2011 Northeast Conference Tournament on Tuesday evening at the Multipurpose Activity Center. With the win, the Hawks advance to their fifth NEC Tournament Final, and first since the 2003-04 season.
MU (23-8), which tied the program record for wins in a season which it established in 1986-87, advances to take on top-seeded Saint Francis University in the league tournament final on Sunday at 3:00 pm.
Erin Rooney (Christchurch, N.Z. /Marian College) led the way for Monmouth with 19 points and four assists, while Abby Martin (Maplewood, N.J. /Columbia) continued her stellar postseason with 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Alexis Canady (Forestville, Md. /Bishop McNamara) added 13 points and seven rebounds.
With the game tied at 53-53 with just less than five minutes remaining in the second half, MU's Canady connected on consecutive three-pointers to put the Hawks up six.
RMU, which finishes up at 16-14, was paced by Yohanna Morton's 28 points.
RMU led 16-10, paced by six quick points from Mary Durojaye, with 11:38 remaining in the first half. The Colonials extended their lead to 22-12 with 7:57 left before halftime, scoring 14 points up to that juncture of the contest in the paint.
A lay-up from Anna Gailite kept Robert Morris' lead in double-figures at 29-19 with less than four minutes to go in the first period. Carly Thibault (East Lyme, Conn. /East Lyme) buried a three-pointer to cut RMU's lead to five points late in the first half, but Gailite beat the first half buzzer with a bank shot to increase the Colonials' advantage to 33-26 at halftime.
RMU shot 51.7% in the opening half, paced by Yohanna Martin's 13 points, while Martin led MU, which shot 37.9%, with eight points.
A quick 5-0 Monmouth run, keyed by a three-pointer from Alysha Womack (Springfield, Pa. /Cardinal O'Hara), trimmed Robert Morris' lead to 33-31 with 18:57 left in regulation. Canady canned a big three-pointer to bring MU within a point at 39-38 with 16:27 left in the game.
Womack's long two-pointer gave MU a 42-41 lead around the 14-minute mark of the second half. After the two teams traded baskets, Gena Broadus (Washington, D.C. /Archbishop Carrol [George Mason]) pushed the Hawks' lead to 50-46 midway through the second half.
