POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Chevannah Paalvast (Auckland, New Zealand/Massey) scored a team-high 14 points, but the Monmouth University women's basketball team was defeated by Marist, 83-52, on the Red Foxes' Senior Night Friday at McCann Arena. With the loss, the Hawks slip to 6-24 (5-14 MAAC), while Marist improves to 23-6 (17-2 MAAC). The loss clinches the Hawks' participation in the opening game of the MAAC Championships as the No. 9 seed against the yet-to-be-decided No. 8 seed on March 6 at 9:30 a.m. at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. Meanwhile the Red Foxes also clinched the No. 2 seed in the tournament.

Paalvast also finished with eight rebounds and four assists. Christina Mitchell (Baltimore, Md./MATHS) scored all of her season-high eight points in the first half, while adding a season-high four assists. Helena Kurt (Spanga, Sweden/Igelstavikens Gymnasium) also added nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from long range. Sophie Beaudry (Chambly, Quebec/College-Notre Dame de Lourdes) matched her season-high with six points, while Jenny Horvatinovic (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) added five points and eight rebounds.

All five Marist starters finished in double figures, led by Emma O'Connor's 16 points. Sydney Coffey had 14 points, while Leanne Ockenden scored 13 points. Casey Dulin had 10 points and a game-high seven assists, while Madeline Blais rounded out the group with 10 points.

“I have to admit that I wasn't real happy when I found out that we were coming (to Marist) on Senior Night because I knew what that could mean,” said Monmouth Head Coach Jenny Palmateer. “In the first half, we got down really quick. They were unbelievable shooting the ball today, especially in the first half, and we just could never recover from that. I think O'Connor was unbelievable and we had no answer for her in the first half. It just got us in way too big of a hole to recover.”

Marist jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the early going before Monmouth scored the next five points to take an 8-7 lead on Kurt's second three-pointer in just over the first four minutes of the game. After Marist retook the lead, Monmouth tied the game at 10-10 and 12-12. But the Red Foxes went on a 10-0 run and eventually led by as many as 24 points on three occasions late in the half, including the 52-28 halftime score.

Mitchell led the Hawks with eight points, already a season-high, on 4-of-5 shooting in the first half. But three first-half fouls and a fourth foul early in the second half would curtail her night. Kurt and Paalvast chipped in with six points apiece, with Paalvast also dishing out three assists. Three Red Foxes reached double figures in the opening stanza, led by O'Connor with 14 points, including 4-of-6 shooting from long range. Coffey finished the half with 12 points, while Ockenden added 11 points, scored consecutively between the 4:05 and 39 second marks of the half. Dulin dished out six assists. All told, Marist shot 62.1 percent (18-29) from the floor in the first half, including 61.5 percent (8-13) from long range.

The closest the Hawks would draw the rest of the way was 21 points, 62-41, on a Horvatinovic three-pointer with 11:20 left in regulation. But Marist pushed its lead back up to as many as 33 points on two occasions late in regulation.

For the game, Marist outshot the Hawks, 47.5 percent (28-59) to 37.5 percent (21-56) from the floor, 50.0 percent (12-24) to 33.3 percent (4-12) from long range and 83.3 percent (15-18) to 54.5 percent (6-11) from the free-throw line. Marist also took a 36-34 edge on the glass.   

The Hawks conclude the regular season Sunday when they play host to Siena. Opening tip from the Multipurpose Activity Center is scheduled for 2 p.m. Prior to the game, the Hawks will honor their two seniors as part of Senior Day ceremonies.