WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - All six seniors scored as the Monmouth University
women's basketball team defeated Wagner, 85-57, on Senior Day Saturday
afternoon at the Multipurpose Activity Center. With the win, the Hawks improve
to 14-14 (11-6 NEC), while the Seahawks fall to 3-25 (2-15 NEC).
Alysha Womack (Springfield,
Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) led the way with 19 points and seven assists, while Carly
Thibault (East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme) added 14 points, a career-high six
assists and four steals. Abigail Martin (Maplewood, N.J./Columbia) and Sara
English (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West [UMass]) also chipped in with 14 points
apiece. The Hawks shot a season-high 54.7 percent (35-64) on the day.
Wagner's Stephanie Blais led
all scorers with 23 points, while Jordyn Peck added 13 points for the Seahawks.
After Wagner outscored the
Hawks, 4-2, to start the game, Monmouth went on a 10-0 run and never trailed
again. The Seahawks cut the deficit to two, 12-10, before Monmouth went on an
11-0 run to extend to a 13-point lead and gradually worked the advantage up to
17, 35-18, on Danica Dragicevic's (Belgrade, Serbia/XV Beogradska Gimnazija)
lay-up with 2:16 left to play in the half. A Wagner three-pointer cut the
deficit to 14, 35-21, at the half.
Womack led the Hawks with
eight points at the half, while Martin added six points. Blais led Wagner with
nine points at the break. Monmouth took a 13-0 edge in points off turnovers in
the first half.
The Hawks outscored the
Seahawks, 32-5, to open the second half to extend to its largest lead of the
day, 41 points, at 67-26 with 10:55 to play in regulation. Wagner cut the
deficit to 26 points, but could draw no closer.
For the game, the Hawks
outshot Wagner, 54.7 percent (35-64) to 46.0 percent (23-50) from the floor,
53.8 percent (7-13) to 31.3 percent (5-16) from long range and 66.7 percent
(8-12) to 46.2 percent (6-13) from the free throw line. The Hawks took a 35-28
edge on the boards and dished out a season-high 23 assists. Monmouth also led
in points in the paint (44-26), points off turnovers (31-10), second-chance
points (14-3), fast-break points (12-4) and bench scoring (31-18).
The Hawks conclude the
regular season against Mount St. Mary's on Monday night. The Hawks can clinch
the No. 3 seed in the upcoming NEC Tournament with a win. Tip-off from the
Multipurpose Activity Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
