FINAL SCORE
Sacred Heart 59 (2-1)
Monmouth 50 (1-2)

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Sacred Heart University rallied for a 59-50 win over the Monmouth University women's basketball team on Wednesday night. 
 
The Hawks and Pioneers battled back and forth in the first quarter. Monmouth quickly opened up an 8-2 advantage and pushed that lead to 10-5 with 3:55 on the clock after a Divine Dibula basket. The Pioneers closed the quarter on a 9-4 run and the two sides were tied at 14-14. 
 
Monmouth and Sacred Heart traded points to start the second quarter and found themselves tied at 21-21 with 2:59 remaining until the half. Monmouth scored five of the final seven points in the period and took a 26-23 lead at the break. Ella Farrelly scored three of the five points in that stretch for the Hawks. 
 
Monmouth scored 10 of the first 17 points in the third quarter and led 36-30 with 6:17 left on the clock. Kaci Donovan had four points in that stretch. Sacred Heart responded with a 12-4 run to close the period and took a 42-40 lead with 10 minutes to go in the game. 
 
Sacred Heart opened the fourth quarter on an 11-6 run and took a 53-46 lead with 3:21 to play. The two teams battled down the stretch, but the Hawks were unable to overcome the deficit and Sacred Heart claimed the nine-point win. 

NOTES & QUOTES
"All the credit to Sacred Heart for executing down the stretch. We had a long segment in the second half where we failed to execute on the offensive end, and it was the difference. I hope as we learn one another we can get into our spots and have better offensive possessions."
    - Head coach Ginny Boggess

- Sacred Heart improved to 20-15 in the all-time series with the Hawks. The Pioneers have won two of the last three meetings. 
- Kaci Donovan has now scored in double figures in two of the first three games this season. 
- Taisha Exanor became the first Hawk to pull down double digit rebounds this season as she finished with 10. That was one off Exanor's career-high for rebounds. 
- Antonia Panayides made her season debut for the Hawks in the second half.
- Belle Kranbuhl had a career-high five assists in the contest. 
- Kranbuhl and Exanor have each blocked at least two shots in each of the first three games this season.  

NUMBERS CRUNCH
- Monmouth shot 33.9% from the field while Sacred Heart posted a 30.4 field goal percentage. Sacred Heart hit six three-pointers to Monmouth's one in the game. 
- The Hawks held a 49-41 advantage in the rebounding battle. 
- For the third straight game, the Hawks blocked at least eight shots in a game. 
- Sacred Heart scored 13 points off of turnovers in the contest. 
 
NEXT UP
Monmouth wraps up its current homestand when it hosts UMass on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m.