Izzy Lipinski
Izzy Lipinski (Photo Courtesy of Matthew Cerullo)

Ravens Battle with Hawks, Lose Closely Contested Conference Contest

This Franklin Pierce University women's basketball recap is presented by Belletetes

MANCHESTER, N.H. (February 6, 2019) – Franklin Pierce University women's basketball freshman forward Izzy Lipinski (Farmington, Conn.) scored a team-high 15 points during the Ravens 57-45 loss to Northeast-10 Conference opponent Saint Anselm College Wednesday evening at the Stoutenburgh Gym. With the win, the Hawks soar to 16-4, 11-4 NE10 and the Ravens suffered their 16th loss and 13th in league play.

Lipinski did most of her damage in the second half racking up 13 of her 15 points on 6-of-10 (60%) shooting. She finished with a team-high eight rebounds – three offensive to go along with a game-best three steals. Classmate Lisa Sulejmani (Burlington, Vt.) joined her teammates in double figures with 12 points of her own and three caroms.

Sophomore guard Sophia Holmes' (Oakland, Maine) 12-game double-digit scoring streak ended as she produced nine points, seven boards - three offensive, one assist, and one steal. Although she was held scoreless, sophomore forward Freya Cooney (Woodbridge, England) tallied eight rebounds and a game-high three stuffs.

For the Hawks, junior forward Shannon Ryan double-doubled with 19 points, 14 rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. Sophomore guard Peyton Steinman chipped in 12 markers, eight boards, and two dimes.

Both squads combined for 41 total turnovers and the Crimson and Grey shot a low 30.2% (19-of-63) from the field. Second chances were plenty in this battle as the Ravens snared 17 offensive chances compared to their counterparts 15.

Ryan converted a layup on the right block for the first points of the game. Lipinski matched her deuce with a midrange jumper from the top of the key to deadlock the game. Holmes gave the Ravens a 5-2 edge by draining a right corner three-ball off a freshman guard Rylee Skinner (Leominster, Mass.) pass. Two consecutive layups by the hosts regained the advantage to towards their side briefly until Skinner perfectly cut to the rack for an uncontested lay-in to push Pierce back ahead 7-6.

Over the next five minutes, the Ravens failed to tally any markers as an Ashley Briggs and Ryan jumper moved the Hawks back ahead 10-7. FPU sophomore forward Claudia Tucci (Trumbull, Conn.) halted the scoreless stretch with an up and under move off an out of bounds play. On the ensuing offensive possession for the Hawks, Briggs absorbed contact, drew a foul while her layup attempt fell through the twine, however she missed the free throw giving the hosts a 12-9 advantage.

The Ravens shot 28.6% (4-of-14) in the first quarter while the Hawks were 35.3% (6-of-17) from the hardwood. The Ravens did a good job limiting SAC to only one three-point attempt, but eight of their 12 markers came from inside the paint.

Saint Anselm scored six consecutive points to start the second quarter with Ryan producing four of them, two after a block and an offensive rebound. Tucci temporarily ended the 12-2 binge with two freebies, but Julia Thissell checked into the game and made an immediate impact knocking down two jumpers in the paint which expanded the Hawk lead to 13, 24-11 with 4:09 to go before the break. Their lead grew to a first-half high of 17, 30-13, but Holmes put Steinman on the ground with a filthy cross over move as the shot clock was winding down, skipped passed the ball towards the other wing to Sulejmani for the trifecta dropping the Raven deficit to 30-16 at the break as the horn sounded.

Pierce outscored the Hawks 12-10 in the third quarter. A Thissell fast break two in the restricted area upped the margin to 16, 40-24 with 1:45 left. A 7-0 Raven binge that carried over into the fourth quarter kept FPU close. Lipinski scored six of those points with freshman guard Paris Wilkey (Lynn, Mass.) splitting a pair of free throws at the charity stripe.

In the fourth Lipinski made it a 10-point game, 40-30 at the 9:17 mark when she threw a right block shot attempt off the window and in. The Hawks built their lead back to 15, 47-32 when Ryan converted a layup. Sulejmani continued attacking spinning through the lane for a hoop and harm minus the free throw and with 3:29 to play, sank a three at the top of the key using two key offensive boards by her teammates to bring the score to 47-39 with 3:29 to go. Six straight Steinman points ended the Raven comeback bid.

The Ravens head back to The Fieldhouse on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. conference showdown with Saint Michael's College at 1:30 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://www.fpuravens.com). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens ), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce women's basketball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://www.fpuravens.com/store). You can also follow the women's basketball team on Twitter (https://twitter.com/FPURavensWBB) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/franklin_pierce_wbb/).