Ravens Can Not Overcome SNHU’s First Quarter in Conference Defeat

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

RINDGE, N.H. (February 23, 2019) – Franklin Pierce University women's basketball players Sophia Holmes (Oakland, Maine) and Izzy Lipinski (Farmington, Conn.) scored a game-high 17 points apiece however Northeast-10 Conference and interstate rival Southern New Hampshire University came into The Fieldhouse and bested the Crimson and Grey 83-68 Saturday afternoon during the Ravens "Play 4 Kay Think Pink" game. With the win, the Penmen move to 17-10, 11-9 NE10 and the loss was the 21st overall for the Ravens and 18th in league play.

Holmes knocked down three three-pointers on the afternoon, snared three boards and came up with one steal. Lipinski corralled a game-high nine boards including three on the offensive end and dished out three helpers. Lipinski's classmate Lisa Sulejmani (Burlington, Vt.) was the only other Raven in double figures as she racked up 16 markers, four rebounds, a game-best four assists, and a contest-high three steals.

For the Penmen, junior forward Victoria Dean produced a team-high 14 points as she was thrust into action due to starter Kylie Lorenzen's early foul trouble. Lorenzen finished the game with 12 points and five caroms in 16 minutes of play.

SNHU held the advantage in the paint (36-to-24) and outscored the Raven reserves by a 37-to-13 margin. The Penmen also converted 12 more free throws (28-of-31, 90.3%) than their counterparts (16-of-23, 69.6%) in eight more attempts

Sulejmani started off the showdown with a baseline drive to give the Ravens the early edge. Freshman guard Rylee Skinner (Leominster, Mass.) split a pair of freebies to regain the slim lead 3-2 towards the Raven side. Gyanna Russell immediately responded with an and1 to push the Penmen back ahead 5-3. One and a half minutes passed until Sulejmani connected with Holmes on an inbounds layup off the window to deadlock the score 5-5.

With the game tied once again at the 5:42 mark, Brianna Camara converted a hoop and harm which began a 14-4 guest run to open up a 13 point, 26-13 Penmen edge. Holmes brought the Raven deficit down to single figures, 28-19 when she sank a top of the point three-ball with 19 seconds left in the first quarter.

SNHU only missed three shot attempts in the first period and two of them were three-pointers. They shot 78.6% (11-of-14).

Trailing by 13, Skinner had an opportunity to put the Ravens down only 10 when she poked the ball away and notched a fast break bucket. She missed the free throw keeping the margin at 32-21 a minute into the second quarter. Six consecutive Penmen markers increased their advantage to a first-half high 17 points, 38-21. A Holmes left-wing trifecta brought the score to 40-28 midway through the period. She would then drop the deficit to 11 with two charity stripe conversions, but the Penmen would lead 47-35 at the break.

FPU scrapped back into the game down 17 when sophomore guard Hannah Everidge (Baldwinville, Mass.) dished the rock to Lipinski in the post for two and Everidge buried a spot up three-ball at the top-of-the point bringing the margin to 12, 57-45. Six straight with four coming from SNHU bench player Sarah Deyo put the Penmen ahead by a contest-high 18 points, 63-45. The teams traded points and possessions as the 18 point edge held true heading into the final 10 minutes of play.

The Ravens dropped their deficit down to 10, 71-61 due in part to a 12-4 scoring spurt. Back-to-back Sulejmani threes including one off an inbounds play made it a 69-57 duel. Two Sulejmani freebies and a Lipinski right block post move brought the game to 71-61. On the ensuing Penmen possession, Deyo punched in an old fashioned three-point play expanding the lead back to 13. Holmes answered with a right-wing trey to drop the margin back to 10 with under four minutes to play. In front 77-66, the Ravens tried connecting on another three but failed. SNHU then went on to hit four free throws in a row to regain a 15 point lead.

The Ravens end their season on Tuesday at nationally-ranked Bentley University. Tip-off is set for 5:30 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/).