Lipinski Crushes On Both Ends, Scores Career-High 25 Points in Double-Double During Close Raven Loss

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

RINDGE, N.H. (February 9, 2019) – Franklin Pierce University women's basketball freshman forward Izzy Lipinski scored a career and game-high 25 points while notching her fifth double-double of the season during a close 74-70 setback to Northeast-10 Conference opponent Saint Michael's College Saturday afternoon in The Fieldhouse. With the win, the Purple Knights gallop to 10-11, 6-10 NE10 while the Crimson and Grey lost their 17th overall contest and 14th in league play.

During halftime, Franklin Pierce University and the athletic department honored men's soccer legend James Thorpe for his induction into the Northeast-10 Conference Hall of Fame.

Lipinski was 11-of-17 (64.7%) from the hardwood and matched a personal-best with six assists. She secured a game-high 11 rebounds – four offensive in the losing effort. It was the first 20+ point showing of her collegiate career and she easily bested her previous high watermark total of 18 markers scored at Merrimack College on December 5, 2018. 15 of her 25 points came in the second half.

Raven sophomore guard Sophia Holmes (Oakland, Maine) joined her teammate in double figures with 19 points on a 5-of-10 (50%) three-point shooting performance. She came alive in crunch time tallying 11 of those 19 markers in the fourth quarter. Freshman guard Rylee Skinner (Leominster, Mass.) produced seven points, four rebounds and four assists on perfect 3-of-3 field goal shooting as a member of the starting five.

Two Purple Knights' produced 20+ points apiece. Brianna Purcell racked up 20 points – nine from free throws to go along with a team-best six assists and a game-high four steals. Nicole Anderson was 5-of-7 (71.4%) from deep which resulted in 21 points.

As a team, the Ravens shot a high efficiency from the hardwood going 50.9% (27-of-53). They were also far superior in the paint (28-to-18) and outrebounded their counterparts (33-to-27).

Holmes kicked off action by draining a baseline jumper off a Lipinski post pass to move the Ravens ahead early 2-0. SMC jumped front by three until Lipinski dished the rock to sophomore forward Freya Cooney (Woodbridge, England) for an up and under layup in the restricted area. Lipinski then put the Ravens back ahead 10-9 slashing through the left side for two off a sophomore guard Demi Akins (Cambridge, Mass.) feed. Seven straight for the guests opened up a two-possession 16-10 advantage when Nicole Ladas converted a mid-range jumper. Both teams exchanged freebies to end the quarter at 17-11 in favor of the Purple Knights.

In the second, FPU tallied three consecutive points, one via a Skinner free throw and a Lipinski hoop and harm off the window minus the freebie to bring the margin to 17-14. An 11-4 Saint Michael's scoring spurt made it a double-digit game, 30-20 on the strength of their three-pointer attack. FPU poured in nine straight markers to come within one, 32-31 when Cooney converted a restricted area layup off a Lipinski pass. A Ladas jumper upped the visitor lead to 34-31 at the intermission.

Alyssa Breuning began the third quarter with a three-ball to move the SMC margin to two possessions, 37-31. Holmes answered with a trey of her own to bring it back down to a three-point game. One possession passed and two Lipinski free throws brought it to a one point, 37-36 game. The Purple Knights lead grew to a game-high 14 points, 52-38 at the 4:08 mark following a 15-2 run which started when Emily Ferreri drove to the rack for an and1. The Ravens chipped away bringing their deficit down to 10, but Purcell knocked down a buzzer-beating three to bring the Purple Knight lead at 14.

Each team swapped trifectas in the opening stages of the final stanza. Following an Anderson three-ball, eight in a row by Pierce brought their margin to three, 65-62. An Akins right wing deep range connection started off the spurt and it was bookended by Holmes third three-pointer of the quarter, this time a second chance three off a Lipinski offensive board. Raven freshman guard Lisa Sulejmani (Burlington, Vt.) made it a two-point game with 2:36 to play by sinking a baseline mid-range jumper. On the next offensive set, Anderson struck again with the shot clock winding down from the top of the point to regain a two-possession lead. The Ravens could only bring the margin to three as SMC made their free throws down the stretch.

The Ravens remain on campus Wednesday as they welcome conference foe Merrimack College for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.

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/).