Syracuse, N.Y. - The Le Moyne College women's basketball team claimed their third double digit Northeast-10 Conference victory of the new year on Saturday afternoon, earning a 70-59 win over the visiting Stonehill Skyhawks on Ted Grant Court.
"We knew coming in that they are a very good team… [Stonehill Head Coach Trisha Brown] is a great coach, and we knew we had to step up defensively. We didn't make too many adjustments at halftime, we just needed to play harder and get out on the three-point shooters. They came back, and they were just shooting lights out, so I think we did a better job of contesting and not giving up second-chance opportunities inside," Le Moyne Head Coach Mary Grimes said following the win.
Senior guard Erin Fouracre (Loudonville, N.Y./Colonie) led the Dolphins in scoring with 18 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists including 9-9 shooting from the free-throw line.
Junior guard Lytoya Baker (Rochester, N.Y./Bishop Kearney), who along with Fouracre and senior forward Jenna Zimmerman (Adams, N.Y./South Jefferson) is averaging around 35 minutes played per game, contributed 13 points, nine rebounds and four assists during the win.
Saeeda Abdul-Aziz (Schenectady, N.Y./Mohonasen/Davidson) drained five three-point field goals on her way to a 17-point afternoon.
Abdul-Aziz scored eight of her points in the first quarter as the Dolphins jumped out to a 19-5 lead at the end of the first ten minutes. Baker was also active during the opening period, scoring four points, delivering an assist on a Fouracre three-point field goal, and pulling down two rebounds.
The Skyhawks knocked down five shots from behind the arc in the second quarter to climb back into the game, and the Dolphins held an eight-point lead at halftime. Stonehill outscored the Dolphins again during the third period, scoring 20 points on 60% shooting during the period and found themselves down by just three-points going into the fourth quarter.
Mia Kelly opened up the final period by drilling a three-point field goal to tie the game at 50.
Lexi Gruss (Binghamton, N.Y./Binghamton) provided the Dolphins with a much-needed spark during key moments of the final 10 minutes. In the fourth quarter alone the junior guard scored a basket, recorded two steals and grabbed two offensive rebounds.
Fouracre converted all seven free-throws that she took in the final quarter, preventing the Skyhawks from stealing a road victory in the final minutes. Fouracre scored nine points and grabbed four rebounds during the fourth period.
The Dolphins improved to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in NE10 competition following the win, while the Skyhawks fell to 3-5 overall and 2-4 in conference.
The Le Moyne College women's basketball team will next be in action on Tuesday, January 11 at Bentley University with tip-off scheduled for 5:30 p.m. EST.
