Philadelphia, Pa. – The Le Moyne College women's basketball team closed out the 30th annual Hawk Classic in the consolation game against Akron on Sunday afternoon. The Zips shot 30-51 (58.8%) from the field to hold off the Dolphins, 94-68, and send them to 1-11 on the season.
Senior guard Sierra Linnin (Valley Cottage, N.Y. / Albertus Magnus) totaled 24 points, a new season-high and the third most in her four years at Le Moyne, on 9-13 (69.2%) shooting including five three-pointers to mark the game-high for scoring. She added one free throw, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal in a team-best 30 minutes on the hardwood.
Sophomore guard Eli Clark (Oakhurst, N.J. / Ocean Township) followed closely behind with 12 points for the 'Phins after connecting on three shots from deep. E. Clark also tied junior forward Ashley Buragas (Hopewell Junction, N.Y. / John Jay / Mineral Area College) with a team-leading three rebounds against Akron.
11 different Dolphins registered atleast two points, seven added atleast two rebounds, and five contributed a pair of assists.
Le Moyne shot 35-53 (47.2%) from the field, 10-25 (40.0%) from three-point range, and 8-10 (80.0%) from the line while tallying 26 points in the paint with 24 bench points in the loss.
Keiryn McGuff and Monique Mitchell tied for the Zips' team-lead in scoring with 20 points apiece while Izzy Callaway and Shaena Brew also finished in the double-digits with 14 and 11, respectively. Corinne Reed led the way with seven rebounds and tied both Brew and Maddie Vejsicky with five assists each.
Mitchell opened the game with a three-point shot before freshman guard Kayden Clark (Oakhurst, N.J. / Manasquan) connected on a jumper to put Le Moyne on the board 1:17 into the first quarter. Threes out of the hands of freshman guard Peyton Dincher (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore) and E. Clark kept the 'Phins within two points nearly four minutes in, but a 10-0 run from Akron put them ahead, 20-8.
Redshirt sophomore guard Amya McLeod (Rome, N.Y. / Rome Free Academy / Youngstown State) contributed a jumper and free-throw later on to close out Le Moyne's scoring in the first as they entered the break facing a 27-13 deficit.
Linnin responded to a fastbreak three from Mitchell that opened the second quarter with a completed and-one opportunity before Akron recorded 10 of the next 12 points. The Dolphins began to cut their deficit, getting back to within 13 points at the 43-30 mark with 2:15 left in the half thanks to a pair of free throws from junior guard Jessica Wangolo (Ottawa, O.N. / Capital Courts Academy / Buffalo), but the Zips closed out the half on a 10-3 run to take a 53-33 lead to halftime.
Le Moyne hit a trio of threes out of the half, two from Linnin and one from E. Clark, to pull back within 16 at the 7:07 mark in the third before going nearly four minutes without a bucket. Freshman forward Rachel Lynch (Cork, Ireland / Putnam Science Academy (Conn.)) brought an end to the dry spell with a jumper in the paint before sophomore guard Sophia Bonnell (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads / SUNY New Paltz) recorded her first points of the season on a corner three with 2:24 remaining in the frame. A jumper by Linnin and three from E. Clark sent the 'Phins to the final 10 minutes of play as the team's final points of the third.
A fastbreak layup from McLeod brought the Dolphins back within 20 points early in the fourth but the Zips were able to fend off a late comeback attempt and held their ground before tallying the final eight points of the game to close out the Hawk Classic with a 94-68 victory.
What's Next:
Le Moyne will return to Ted Grant Court and close out non-conference play with a matchup against SUNY Geneseo at a rescheduled start time of 3:00 pm. on Tuesday, Dec. 30.
