Ravens Conclude Campaign With Two Point Win at Assumption

WORCESTER, Mass. (February 25, 2020) – Three Franklin Pierce University women's basketball players scored in double-figures including Lisa Sulejmani (Burlington, Vt.) who recorded a team-best 19 points and classmate Emma Carter (Bristol, Vt.) with her second career double-double, 10 points and 10 rebounds as the crimson and grey pulled out a two-point, 59-57 win on the road at Northeast-10 Conference opponent Assumption College Tuesday evening at the Laska Gymnasium. With the win, the Ravens season ends at 11-15, 5-14 NE10 while the Hounds drop to 13-14, 7-12 NE10.

Sulejmani shot 9-of-17 (52.9%) from the floor with five boards and two blocks, including a momentum changer later in the game. Carter was an efficient 4-of-6 (66.7%) shooting with two triples and she tied a personal-best with 10 caroms.

Sophomore Izzy Lipinski (Farmington, Conn.) poured in 16 markers off 8-of-13 (61.5%) from the hardwood with five rebounds – three offensive and a game-best three blocks. Paris Wilkey (Lynn, Mass.) played some important minutes off the bench for Pierce dropping seven points (3-for-4, 75%) shooting with four boards in 13 minutes of play.

Assumption was paced by Brianna Capacchione who produced a game-high 20 points and Temi Falayi was one point shy of a double-double with nine points and a contest-high 11 rebounds.

The Ravens shot a high percentage (50.9%) in the contest and were 5-of-10 (50%) from distance. They lost the free-throw battle attempting only two free chances compared to Assumption's 14. Pierce also lost the turnover battle (23-to-10), but it didn't seem to matter as they were 15-of-27 (55.6%) shooting in the second half while the hosts shot at a 9-for-34 (26.5%) clip.

Lipinski got the Ravens on the board with a second-chance bucket as she followed her own missed shot. A possession later Lipinski banked in a shot from the right block regaining the lead to FPU 4-2. Capacchione drilled a triple on the right-wing combined with a jumper, which put the Hounds back into the lead 7-4. Sulejmani answered with a mid-range jumper on the left elbow bringing it to a 7-6 contest. Assumption went on a 7-2 spurt to move the margin to 14-8 until a Carter trifecta brought Pierce within one possession 16-13. Anna Shaughnessy increased Assumptions edge to 17-13 at the end of one.

The Ravens stayed within a bucket off the strength of a Sammi Gallant (Ipswich, Mass.) second-chance score. Emme Poulin grew the margin to five, 22-17 with a three at the 7:36 mark. Capacchione expanded the Assumption advantage to a first-half high of seven, 26-19 when she hit a mid-range jumper. Pierce continued to battle back when solid perimeter ball movement resulted in Sulejmani draining a long-range attempt from the left corner off a Demi Akins (Cambridge, Mass.) feed, then on their next possession Carter knocked down a three on the left-wing keeping Pierce within one, 26-25. With the game at two possessions, Wilkey drove from the top of the key to the paint ending the first-half scoring with 1:03 left as Pierce trailed 30-27 at the intermission.

Lipinski drew the Ravens within one, 34-33 with 7:42 to go in the third via an and1 opportunity minus the free throw. Sulejmani went around a screen and straight to the bucket for a deuce giving the crimson and grey the lead for the first time since the first quarter, 35-34. Trailing by one, 38-37, Wilkey fired and hit a three from the top of the point giving the Ravens a 40-38 edge. Assumption tallied the final eight points of the quarter to hold a two-possession lead, 46-40 at the end of three.

Sulejmani and Lipinski brought the Ravens down two, 46-44 with layups each in the restricted area to start the fourth. Their run of seven straight points continued when Hannah Everidge (Baldwinville, Mass.) sank a three-ball from the top of the point to regain the score at 47-46. Lipinski powered through the post for two upping the Raven lead to 49-47, however, Assumption connected on a three to regain the advantage 50-49 and dumped in two off a fast break outlet pass to hold a three-point, 52-49 margin.

Franklin Pierce took a 30-second timeout and responded with four points including another Lipinski hoop and harm minus the freebie. Poulin and Capacchione upped the lead to four, 57-53 with under four minutes to go. A Rylee Skinner (Leominster, Mass.) reverse layup deadlocked the game at 57-57 with two minutes left. On the ensuing Assumption possession, Sulejmani stuffed a potential bucket and on the other end slashed through traffic to catapult the Ravens back ahead 59-57.

Assumption stopped play with a timeout and missed their layup chance. The Ravens clanked their shot attempt to potentially ice the game. The Greyhounds called a full timeout and drew up a play for Poulin in the left corner for three. Her potential game-winner banged off the rim and Skinner secured the ball. Assumption was forced the foul, but couldn't get the Ravens to the line as they hung on for the two-point victory.

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 apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (https://shopfpuravens.com). You can also follow the women's basketball team on Twitter (https://twitter.com/FPURavensWBB) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/franklin_pierce_wbb/).