STANDISH, Maine – Sophomore guard Kelsi McNamara (West Newbury, Mass.) scored 29 points to help lift Saint Joseph's College (12-2, 6-0 GNAC) past Rivier University (3-9, 1-4 GNAC), 71-54, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's basketball contest at the Harold Alfond Center on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Saint Joseph's held the lead for all but the opening possession in the conference matchup and carried a 35-22 advantage into halftime, thanks in large part to 19 first-half points from McNamara.
Trailing 41-22 with 6:50 left in the third quarter, the Raiders managed to fight back into contention with a 17-8 run and faced a 10-point deficit (49-39) heading into the final frame. But the Monks managed to put the game away by kicking off the fourth quarter with a 14-4 outburst of their own. McNamara hit three-pointers on consecutive trips down the court to ignite the outbreak, which resulted in the hosts holding a game-high 20-point cushion (63-43) with 5:33 remaining.
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- McNamara was 10-15 from the field, including a 5-7 effort from downtown, with four rebounds, three assists, four steals, and no turnovers in 27 minutes
- Sophomore forward Emily Benway (Rochester, N.H.) notched her fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds
- Sophomore guard Julia Champagne (Brunswick, Maine) added seven points, four rebounds, and two assists
- Sophomore guard Hannah Marks (Waldoboro, Maine) came off the bench to tally seven points and five caroms
LEADERS – RIVIER:
- Senior forward Rebecca DeBaldo (Pelham, N.H.) led the Raiders with 15 points while shooting 7-10 from the floor and pulling down six rebounds
- Sophomore forward Linsey Roth (Tyngsboro, Mass.) added nine points
- Sophomore guard Kaylee Kacavas (Dracut, Mass.) chipped in with eight points and six boards
- Senior guard Caitlyn Perry (Nashua, N.H.) tallied six points, six caroms, and three assists
- Sophomore forward Megan Hamel (Colebrook, N.H.) came off the bench to add seven points and five rebounds
NEXT!
Both teams are back in conference action Monday when Saint Joseph's travels to Anna Maria College and Rivier hosts Emmanuel College. Both GNAC contests are slated to begin at 1:00 PM.
#GOMONKS
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
