STANDISH, Maine – Sophomore guard Alyson Fillion (Bedford, N.H.) poured in a career-high 26 points and junior guard Cassandra Stapelfeld (Brookline, N.H.) netted 20 to help lift Saint Joseph's College (2-2) past Husson University (1-3), 76-64, in a non-conference women's basketball contest at the Harold Alfond Center on Saturday afternoon.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Monks opened the game with a 12-2 run as Fillion and Stapelfeld scored six points apiece to put their team up by 10 in the first five minutes of play. The Eagles fought back with a 9-0 surge of their own and grabbed their first lead of the day when junior Emma Alley (Millinocket, Maine) converted a traditional three-point play to make it a 16-15 game heading into the second quarter.
Tied 20-20 early in the second stanza, the hosts mounted a 16-2 run – which included nine points from Fillion – and achieved a game-high 14-point (36-22) advantage when freshman Jayne Howe (Pembroke, Mass.) hit a jumper with 3:20 before the break.
St. Joe's carried a 38-27 lead into intermission but Husson fought back into contention with an impressive 16-3 run and claimed a 43-41 edge when freshman center Bailey Donovan (Island Falls, Maine) knocked down a pair of freebies with 6:20 left in the third quarter. The Eagles' lead was short-lived however as Stapelfeld drilled a pair of threes in a matter of 90 seconds to help the Monks secure the lead for good, as it played out.
Saint Joseph's put the game out of reach in the fourth frame with a 15-3 run right out of the gates. Five different SJC players scored during the six-minute surge as a Fillion layup capped the outbreak with a layup to make it a 71-57 game with 3:57 remaining.
STATS OF THE GAME:
The Monks shot 54.7% (29-53) from the floor, including a 51.9% (14-27) from three-point distance…The Eagles countered by shooting 33.8% (22-65) overall with a 25% (5-20) clip from downtown…Saint Joseph's attempted just five free throws on the afternoon while Husson went 15-20 (75%) from the charity stripe.
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Fillion was 10-for-17 from the field and 5-for-10 from three-point range with three rebounds and a pair of assists
- Stapelfeld was 7-for-11 from the floor and 4-for-7 from downtown with three assists and three boards
- Senior guard Julia Quinn (Fryeburg, Maine) added 11 points and eight assists
- Junior guard Jordan Jabar (Waterville, Maine) chipped in with seven points and four caroms
- Senior forward Lexi L'Heureux-Carland (Bridgton, Maine) pulled down a team-high seven rebounds
- Howe came off the bench to contributed five points, three rebounds, and three assists
LEADERS – HUSSON:
- Donovan came off the bench to lead the Eagles with 19 points and 16 rebounds and was 7-for-10 from the field with a pair of blocks
- Alley netted 11 points with three assists and a pair of steals
- Joan Overman chipped in with nine points, seven boards, and five steals
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the triumph, Saint Joseph's improves to 42-32 in the history of the series with Husson University and has now defeated the Eagles in three-consecutive meetings.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's will play at UMaine-Farmington at 5:30 PM on Tuesday.