SHU Falls Short in NEC Semifinal Losing to Monmouth, 64-60
3/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 7, 2004
STATEN ISLAND, NY (March 7, 2004) - The Sacred Heart women's basketball team came up short in their bid for a first-ever Northeast Conference Championship appearance, falling to Monmouth, 64-60, in the semifinal round Sunday afternoon. The Pioneers suffered another poor shooting day, hitting just 33.8% (22-65) from the field, 17.6% (3-17) from three-point land and 56.5% (13-23) from the free throw line.
The Pioneers and Hawks traded the lead back and forth five times in the first half with neither team holding more than a four point lead at any time. Both teams failed to play particularly well offensively as SHU shot just 27.3% over the first 20 minutes. Fifteen Monmouth turnovers helped to keep the Pioneers in the game down just one, 25-24, at the break.
Senior Kate Maher (Waterford, Ireland) and freshman Amanda Pape (Stamford, CT) where the lone bright spots in a dismal offensive first half for Sacred Heart. Maher hit for eight points with six rebounds while Pape chimed in with seven points and seven boards.
The Pioneers got the lead back and went up three with 17:33 to go on a Nicolle Rubino (Port Jefferson Station, NY) lay-up. Monmouth's LaSheena Martin followed with a three on the Hawks next possession to pull the game even for the sixth time. SHU senior Ashley Kohl gave the Pioneers another lead just minutes later with her only three of the afternoon with 15:41 to play. Niamh Dwyer answered Kohl's three with one of her own on the next trip to give the Hawks a lead they would never relinquish.
Sacred Heart cut the lead to just one on three separate occasions but could never get over the hump. The Hawks built their lead to 54-48 before a Pape lay-up and two free throws got the Pioneers to within 54-52 with 4:46 on the clock. Dwyer pushed the lead back to four with a long jumper just inside the three-point line but Pape, as she did all year, found a way to get to the hoop drawing a foul. She sank both attempts to get SHU to within two once again.
After possession changed hands three times, the Pioneers went to the line once again with a chance to tie the game. That would be as close as SHU would get the rest of the way as Maher's two attempts fell short of their mark. Forced to foul down the stretch, the Hawks hit six-of-eight over the final two minutes to put the game away.
Pape, the 2003-04 NEC Rookie of the Year, finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds to record her fifth double double of the season. Pape also set a new career-high with seven steals in the loss. Maher had a double double of her own in her final appearance in a SHU uniform, scoring 10 points with 11 rebounds. Rubino was also in double figures with 12 points.
The Pioneers finish the season at 21-8, their best season in program history. This year's team set new school records for wins (21), conference wins (14) and longest winning streak (10).
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