Box Score WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Junior guard Sarah Olson (Freehold, N.J./Howell [NJIT]) made six three-pointers for a game-high 18 points in her Hawks debut, but the Monmouth University women's basketball team fell to Lehigh, 82-70, in the season opener Saturday night at the Multipurpose Activity Center. With the loss, the Hawks fall to 0-1, while the Mountain Hawks' (1-0) victory was the 300th of Head Coach Sue Troyan's career.
Christina Mitchell (Baltimore, Md./MATHS) matched her career high with 14 points to go along with eight rebounds. Jenny Horvatinovic (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion Area) also scored 11 points and collected three steals. Jasmine Walker (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) added nine points and a game-high four steals. Jamiyah Bethune (Union, N.J./Union [Penn State]) also contributed six points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Quinci Mann and Katie O'Reilly had 16 points apiece to pace Lehigh. Lexi Martins added a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Kerry Kinek chipped in with 12 points and seven rebounds.
“I thought our effort was really good today,” said Monmouth Head Coach Jenny Palmateer. “I thought the pace of play was exactly what we needed. We just needed to limit a few more of their shots in the paint and [commit] a few less fouls. We missed 52 shots and they only took 59. That's the tempo we want. That's the type of possession game that we're really looking for. We've just got to hit a few more and limit shots in the paint a little better.”
Lehigh maintained a small lead for the majority of the first half, but the Hawks kept the deficit small with smothering full-court pressure. After trailing by three on four occasions, the Hawks scored five straight points on an Olson three and a Mia Hopkins (Pittston, Pa./Pittston Area) jumper to take their first lead of the game, 17-15, at the 12:26 mark. Lehigh countered with a 10-0 run to take their largest lead of the half, 25-17. Four different Mountain Hawks scored in the run, led by Mann's four points.
Hopkins helped the Hawks whittle away at the deficit with a three and a transition bucket. An Elizabeth Sharlow lay-up with 2:38 left in the half pushed the Lehigh lead up to 38-32 before Monmouth closed the half by scoring seven of the last eight points of the stanza to tie the game at 39-39 at halftime.
Mitchell led the Hawks with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting at the break, while Mann led all scorers with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Hopkins and Horvatinovic had seven points apiece for Monmouth, while O'Reilly and Sharlow also had seven points apiece. The Hawks caused 13 Lehigh turnovers with persistent full-court pressure.
Monmouth immediately seized a three-point lead on an Olson three to open the second half. Following five lead changes on five consecutive alternating made baskets by the two teams, the Mountain Hawks never trailed again. Olson tied the game at 51-51 and 59-59 on made three-pointers, but Kinek's jumper off an inbounds play at the 9:45 mark gave Lehigh the lead for good.
The Mountain Hawks' advantage gradually grew to 12 points on two Kiernan McCloskey free throws with 11 seconds left to account for the final 82-70 score.
For the game, Lehigh outshot Monmouth, 52.5 percent (31-59) to 33.3 percent (26-78) from the floor, including a 38.5 percent (5-13) to 32.3 percent (10-31) advantage from long range. Monmouth took a 66.7 percent (8-12) to 62.5 percent (15-24) advantage from the free-throw line. Lehigh outrebounded the Hawks, 48-37. Monmouth forced 23 Lehigh turnovers.
The Hawks return to action Thursday, when they travel to LIU Brooklyn. Tipoff from the Steinberg Wellness Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
