WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Gabby Singer (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin)
scored a game-high 15 points and Sara English (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West
[UMass]) added her first career double-double of 12 points and a career-high 10
rebounds as the Monmouth University women's basketball team defeated intrastate
Northeast Conference rival Fairleigh Dickinson, 61-53, Monday night at the
Multipurpose Activity Center. With the win, the Hawks improve to 8-11 (5-3
NEC), while the Knights fall to 8-11 (3-5 NEC).
Chevannah Paalvast (Auckland,
New Zealand/Massey) scored 13 of her 14 points in the second half, while also
chipping in with five rebounds and a career-high four blocks for the Hawks.
English also added three blocks, while Singer also contributed five rebounds,
four assists, and a team-high four steals. Singer knocked down 9-of-10 free
throws in the game, including 7-of-8 in the final minute.
Erika Livermore led FDU with
13 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks, while Amanda Andrades added 10 points,
six assists and four steals. Tiffany Grant and Stephanie Isaacs added nine
points apiece, while Desiree Crawford contributed eight points and eight
rebounds. The Hawks held FDU's leading scorer, Danielle Pankey (15.1 ppg.), to
just two points on the night.
After the teams exchanged the
lead three times in the early going, Monmouth went on a 10-0 run to open a
nine-point lead, 16-7. Singer knocked down a pair of three-pointers and English
scored on two post moves for the Hawks in the run. The Knights stormed back
with 10 of the next 12 points to close to within one point at 18-17 with 3:47
to play in the half.
But the Hawks outscored the
Knights, 8-1, to close the half to take an eight-point advantage into the locker
room. Singer led the Hawks with eight points, while English added six points
and seven rebounds. Four Knights finished the initial stanza with four points
apiece, with Livermore grabbing a team-high six boards. MU held FDU to 19.4
percent (6-31) shooting in the first half.
Monmouth pushed the lead to
12 with four quick points from Paalvast, but FDU responded with an 8-0 run,
including five points from Livermore. Gradually, the Knights whittled the Hawks'
lead down to one, 43-42, with 7:16 to go and took their first lead (45-44)
since 7-6 at the 14:23 mark of the first half on Isaacs' three-pointer with
6:26 left to play in regulation. The lead would be short-lived, as Paalvast
scored on a drive just 19 seconds later, giving the Hawks a lead they would not
relinquish. Monmouth scored seven-straight points and the advantage grew to as
many as eight points.
Abigail Martin (Maplewood,
N.J./Columbia) got a bucket to fall in the paint, before English scored on a
putback while being fouled, and eventually completed a three-point play with
2:50 to go. Singer made 7-of-8 free throws in the final 38 seconds to put the
game on ice.
For the game, the Hawks
outshot the Knights, 40.4 percent (21-42) to 31.7 percent (19-60) from the
floor and 40.0 percent (4-10) to 25.0 percent (2-8) from long range. FDU took a
76.5 percent (13-17) to 71.4 percent (15-21) edge from the free-throw line.
Rebounds were an even 39-39, while MU took a 26-12 advantage in the paint and
an 18-4 edge in bench scoring.
The Hawks continue Northeast
Conference play at home Saturday afternoon, when they welcome Bryant. Opening
tip from the Multipurpose Activity Center is scheduled for 3 p.m.
