Box Score LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. – Sarah Olson (Freehold, N.J./Howell [NJIT]) erupted for 19 of her 22 points in the second half, but the Monmouth University women's basketball team's second half comeback bid fell just short as Siena came away with a 65-58 victory Saturday afternoon at the Alumni Recreation Center. With the loss, the Hawks fall to 9-14 (5-9 MAAC), while the Saints improve to 14-9 (7-7 MAAC).

Olson hit five second-half trifectas to finish 8-for-12 from the floor and 6-for-9 from long range. She also chipped in with a team-high seven rebounds and three steals to go along with three assists. Amanda Offenback (Delran, N.J./Holy Cross) scored 10 of her 12 points in the first half, while Helena Kurt (Spanga, Sweden/Igelstavikens Gymnasium) tied her career-high with nine assists. Jamiyah Bethune (Union, N.J./Union [Penn State]) and Sara English (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West [UMass]) also added six points apiece.

Margot Hetzke and Tehresa Coles led Siena with 16 points apiece, with Hetzke also grabbing a team-high six rebounds and Coles collecting a team-best four steals. Ida Krogh had a strong all-around game with 10 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Each of the remaining four Saints to see the court had either five or six points.  

“This was a really big game for us for a lot of reasons. The season is coming down to the nitty gritty and this really was one that we were hoping to pull out,” said Monmouth Head Coach Jenny Palmateer. “I thought, for the most part, in the first half we weren't hitting shots as much as we could. We got into a little bit of foul trouble, which hurt us, but we were able to ride that out and stay within striking distance. Then the first five minutes of the second half were really disappointing. I thought that's where we really needed to dig in and come out with a lot of energy and we just came out with none. Then we were really, from that point on, fighting an uphill battle. We had to scratch and claw for everything and really did a great job to get back in the game and give ourselves a shot to be able to be in a one-possession game down the stretch and have a chance to win.”

Monmouth jumped out to its largest lead, 17-8, when Offenback knocked down a three at the 10:06 mark of the first half. The Hawks scored their first 12 points off turnovers.  But Siena would go on an extended 19-2 run to take a 10-point lead, 29-19. The Saints did not turn the ball over once during the run. Monmouth scored the next five points on a Kurt three and a Jenny Horvatinovic (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion Area) jumper to cut the deficit to five at the half. Siena took an 18-4 advantage in points in the paint before the half.

Offenback led all scorers with 10 points at the break, including conversions on 2-of-5 three-point attempts. Kurt added three points, four assists and two steals. Hetzke led Siena with nine points, four rebounds and two blocks.

Siena started the second half on a 12-2 run to extend to a 43-28 lead with 13:36 remaining. Olson began to heat up with a driving lay-up at the 11:34 mark and hit four-straight three-point attempts at the 10:46, 9:40, 7:34 and 6:45 marks to help the Hawks cut the deficit to six, 50-44.

Trailing by eight with 2:30 left, Kurt hit a jumper, Olson secured a steal, Bethune made two free throws, Mitchell blocked a shot and was later rewarded with a lay-up on the other end off of a Horvatinovic drive and dump to cut the deficit to two, 60-58, with 1:40 left.

The Hawks forced a miss on the other end, but immediately turned the ball over and wouldn't score again.

“We just have to keep working and not have those lulls,” said Palmateer. “We're not the kind of team that can have those kind of lulls and, in the end, it just really did us in today. But we're looking forward to coming back home for our Play 4Kay and National Girls & Women In Sports Day games next weekend.”

For the game, Siena outshot the Hawks, 42.0 percent (21-50) to 33.3 percent (20-60) from the floor and 76.0 percent (19-25) to 61.5 percent (8-13) from the free-throw line. Monmouth took a 32.3 percent (10-31) to 28.6 percent (4-14) advantage from long range. Siena edged Monmouth, 37-36, on the glass. The Saints outscored Monmouth, 30-16, in the paint.    

The Hawks return home Friday, when they wrap up the hOURglass rivalry series with Rider. The contest is the Hawks' Play 4Kay game. Opening tip from the Multipurpose Activity Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.