WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Senior Chevannah Paalvast (Auckland, New Zealand/Massey) and freshman Mia Hopkins (Pittston, Pa./Pittston Area) scored 15 points apiece as the Monmouth University women's basketball team defeated Siena, 80-57, on Senior Day Sunday afternoon at the Multipurpose Activity Center. With the win, the Hawks improve to 7-24 (6-14 MAAC), while the Saints fall to 8-21 (3-17 MAAC). The Hawks enter the MAAC Championships as the No. 9 seed, and will face eighth-seeded Niagara in the First Round Thursday morning at 9:30. The tournament will be held at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass.

The Hawks shot a season-high 53.4 percent (31-58) from the floor, including 50.0 percent (8-16) from long range. The 15 points are a new season-high for Hopkins, whose previous high was 13 on two occasions this season. Paalvast also added a team-high eight rebounds and five assists. Helena Kurt (Spanga, Sweden/Igelstavikens Gymnasium) opened the second half with four quick three-pointers in the first four minutes of the stanza to finish with 12 points.

Sophie Beaudry (Chambly, Quebec/College-Notre Dame de Lourdes) also had a career day with 10 points and seven rebounds, both new highs, while matching her previous season high of three blocks. Sara English (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West [UMass]) also chipped in with eight points and six rebounds. Jasmine Walker (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) also contributed a game-high five steals.    

Ida Krogh scored a game-high 16 points to lead Siena, while Kelsey Booth scored all of her 11 points in the first half. Booth also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Ciara Stewart had eight points and a team-high four assists, while Tehresa Coles also contributed eight points.   

“I think to be able to end on a high note is really big because that just gives us a little momentum going into the tournament,” said Monmouth Head Coach Jenny Palmateer. “You always want to be going in feeling like you're coming off of a good game. Offensively and defensively, I'm really happy with how the team played today. For us, four people in double digits is huge. And defensively, I thought we did a great job. So I'm really excited to be moving forward. Now it's tournament time.”

After five early lead changes, Monmouth went on a 10-0 run to take the lead for the remainder of the first half. Christina Mitchell's (Baltimore, Md./MATHS) lay-up at the 13:44 mark sparked the run and she also put the Hawks on top with a putback at the 13:21 mark. Mitchell then fed Beaudry for a lefty baby hook, before the Canadian connected on another jumper to push the lead to 15-10 at the 12:21 mark. A transition jumper from Kasey Chambers (Belmar, N.J./St. Rose) capped the run, putting MU on top, 17-10. Siena closed the deficit to three from the free-throw line, before Paalvast later scored nine-straight Monmouth points to push the lead to 11, 29-18. Two English free throws pushed the Hawks to their largest lead of the half, 31-18, at the 5:18 mark. The Saints cut the Hawks' lead to nine, 41-32, at the half.

Paalvast led all scorers with 11 points to go along with four rebounds at the break, while Beaudry added eight points on 4-for-4 shooting. Hopkins added seven points, including 4-for-4 shooting from the charity stripe, while English had six points and four rebounds. All told, the Hawks shot 50.0 percent (16-32) in the first half. Booth countered with 11 points and five rebounds for Siena. She was 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, as the Saints converted 13 first-half Monmouth fouls into 14-of-16 from the stripe.

Kurt knocked down four-straight three-point attempts in the first 3:39 of the second half to help the Hawks extend to a 55-39 lead. Siena kept the Hawks' lead between 12 and 15 points until the 6:20 mark, when the Hawks went on a 7-0 run to take a 73-53 advantage. Chambers got things started with a three-pointer, before Paalvast made a jumper in the paint. A free throw from Hopkins and another from Shira Shecht (Pardessiya, Israel/Hadassim) capped the run. Hopkins' fast-break lay-up with 1:20 left pushed the lead to 22, while Beaudry's lay-up with 39 seconds left pushed the lead to its high point, the final 80-57 score.

Prior to the game, the Hawks honored their two seniors, Paalvast and Shecht, as part of senior day ceremonies.

“I was more nervous before this game than a lot of other games,” said Palmateer. “Really, it's because deep down as a head coach you want the seniors to play their butts off, have the game of their lives and to be able to go out on top. So, I was really nervous before this one because I wanted it so bad for them. I think the team really did too. They played a little inspired basketball today for the seniors. They've given a lot. They've been through a lot in their four years here. Both of them have just grown as people and basketball players.”

For the game, the Hawks outshot the Saints, 53.4 percent (31-58) to 31.5 percent (17-54) from the floor and 50.0 percent (8-16) to 15.8 percent (3-19) from long range. Monmouth outrebounded Siena, 42-30, while the Saint took an 87.0 percent (20-23) to 55.6 percent (10-18) advantage from the free-throw line. Monmouth's bench outscored Siena's, 39-15, while the Hawks took a 17-2 cushion in second-chance points.