SHU Women's Hoops Fall in NEC Opener, 72-62, at Wagner
12/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sacred Heart took control early on in the game, opening with a 12-4 lead five minutes into play. Wagner's Ashley Linscott buried a three at 14:45 to ignite a 16-0 run that gave the Seahawks their first lead of the day, 20-12. Wagner continued to build off that run, holding a 34-29 lead at the half behind Wyffels 16 first half points.
The Pioneers opened the second half strong with a 9-3 run to regain the lead, 38-37 at the 16:18 mark behind an Ashley Kohl (Palmyra, PA) three point make. After another Seahawk run built the lead up to eight, 57-49 with 8:38 to go but the Pioneers had another run in them and were able to cut the lead to within two just two minutes later on a Kate Maher (Waterford, Ireland) lay-up.
The Seahawks had an answer as they did all afternoon when two Walker lay-ups and a three by Joy Gallagher got the lead back to nine with just over five minutes to go. The Wagner lead was built up to 10 points on two Walker free throws at the 2:30 mark before the Pioneers made one last ditch effort to claw their way back.
Freshman Amanda Pape (Stamford, CT) made a steal under the hoop and laid it in cutting it to 66-58. Pape made another steal, grabbed her own miss and was fouled on the good put back and was heading to the line to try and cut the lead to five. Her shot missed the mark and was grabbed by guard Ashley Robinson. Robinson promptly turned the ball over and it appeared SHU would get within four when a cutting Mary Rush (Waterbury, CT) received a pass and had a clear path to the hoop. Wagner's Walker, a preseason All-NEC pick, had other plans, as she quickly swooped in and turned away Rush's offering, grabbing the rebound and helping the Seahawks run out the clock down the stretch.
Wagner, now 3-3 overall and 1-0 in the conference, shot six-of-eight from the line in the final minute to ice the game. The Seahawks shot the ball well from the field, hitting 48.2% (27-56) from the field and 41.2% (7-17) from the behind the three-point arc. Wagner hurt Sacred Heart inside, outscoring the Pioneers 36-26 in the middle behind Wyffels's 29 and Walker's 18.
The Pioneer defense forced 22 turnovers but failed to convert on most of those opportunities, coming away with just 19 points. Wagner made the most of the 17 Sacred Heart miscues with 26 points coming off turnovers. Pape finished with a team-high 22 points, scoring 20 plus points for the fourth time this season. The freshman standout also grabbed a season-high 12 boards, seven offensive, to record the first double double of her career. Maher finished with 10 points, seven rebounds four assists and four steals in the loss.
Sacred Heart will return to action next Sunday, December 21st when they travel to Chestnut Hill, MA to face the Boston College Eagles in a 2 pm start.
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