Leedham sisters combine for 51 points to lead Ravens to fifth-straight win

Boxscore 

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 14, 2009) -  Franklin Pierce University, among other teams receiving votes in this week's USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll, notched its fifth-straight win with an 84-70 victory over The College of Saint Rose in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at Daniel P. Nolan Gymnasium tonight.

Franklin Pierce was led by sisters Jennifer and Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) who combined for 51 points. Senior Jennifer Leedham scored a season high 27 points to lead all scorers as she made 10-of-13 shots from the field, including 3-for-5 from three-point range, converting 4-of-6 free-throw attempts to go with four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Junior All-American and Great Britain international Johannah Leedham added 24 points (15 first half), aided by a perfect 10-for-10 effort from the free throw line, to go with five rebounds, four steals, four assists and two blocked shots.

Sophomore Tori Ahrens (East Greenwich, R.I./East Greenwich) rounded out Franklin Pierce's double-figure scorers with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field (including a three-pointer) to go with four rebounds (three offensive) and three assists. Freshman Marielle Giroud (Martigny, Switzerland) chipped in with a game and season-high matching 11 rebounds.

Junior Elizabeth Buckley (East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme) led Saint Rose with 27 points, shooting 10-of-18 from the field, including 7-of-11 from three-point range. Senior Lauren Revesz (Pittsburg, N.Y./Chartiers Valley) added 14 points, five rebounds and two steals, while senior Dana Brown (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont Memorial) also added 14 points, going 5-of-9 from the field.

Franklin Pierce finished shooting 50.9-percent (28-for-55) from the field, draining 6-of-13 three-pointers (46.2%), and made 84.6-percent (22-for-26) of their free throw attempts. Saint Rose shot 43.9% (25-for-57) from the field, but 50% percent (9-for-18) from three-point range to stay in the game.

Saint Rose raced out to a quick 11-2 lead just 2:04 into the contest, draining two three's to spark an 11-0 run after Jennifer Leedham had opened the game with a layup. The Golden Knights lead was ten (14-4) after a Buckley three at the 17:23 mark, when Franklin Pierce caught fire.

A quick 10-2 run had Franklin Pierce back within two (16-14) after an Ahrens three at the top of the key. Two Johannah Leedham free-throws put Franklin Pierce in front (19-18) with 14:17 left. Saint Rose regained the lead on its next possession, but it was short-lived as the Ravens reeled off a 13-0 run over the next five minutes to open a 12-point lead (32-20) after a layup from Giroud with 8:09 to play. Jennifer Leedham sparked the run with a three and finished with five points total during that stretch. A conventional three-point play from Johannah Leedham gave the Ravens a game-high 18 point lead (41-25) with 5:34 left in the half.

Saint Rose closed within ten at the break (44-34), then were back within seven (46-39) after a Buckley three 1:45 into the second half. Another Buckley three had the Golden Knights within eight (53-44) with 14:54 to go, when Franklin Pierce posted a 10-4 clip to regain a 16-point cushion (62-46) after a layup from freshman Jewel White (Worcester, Mass./Doherty Memorial) with 10:29 remaining.

One last push brought Saint Rose back within nine (75-66) following a Brown three with 3:10 left, but Franklin Pierce answered with a layup from Ahrens and a conventional three-point play by Johannah Leedham to start a game-clinching 9-0 run to put the Ravens back up 18 (84-66) with 1:03 remaining.

Franklin Pierce (11-4, 8-3 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday when it hosts the University of New Haven at 2 p.m., in a contest which will be broadcast live on WEEI 93.5 FM Keene. Saint Rose (9-7, 4-7 NE-10) hosts No. 10 Stonehill College on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.