Franklin Pierce Stops Southern N.H., 58-48
Ravens end season-long seven-game slide with series sweeping victory
RINDGE, N.H. (January 28, 2004) - Franklin Pierce put an end to a season-long seven-game losing streak with a 58-48 decision over Southern New Hampshire University to complete the regular-season series sweep in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at the Franklin Pierce Fieldhouse tonight.
Freshman guard Mollie Stelmack (New Westminster, British Columbia/New Westminster) led a balanced Franklin Pierce attack with 13 points to go with a season-high matching six rebounds and two steals.
Senior guard Tara Bligh (Milton, Mass./Milton) added 12 points, six assists and three steals, while senior Susan Ocitti (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin) finished with 11 points, a team-best seven rebounds and three assists off the bench. Freshman Danielle D'Ettorre (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/St. Mary's) and junior Patricia Lang (Monroe, N.H./Saint Johnsbury Academy) each chipped in eight points. Lang also added five rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.
Senior Amy Stilphen (Gardiner, Maine/Gardiner) was the lone Southern New Hampshire player in double-figures with 13 points on 5-6 shooting from the field, including 3-4 from three-point range, to go with four rebounds. Sophomore Chrisondria Griffith (Brockton, Mass./Brockton) added seven points and a game-high nine rebounds, while freshman Amy Charbonneau (Windham, N.H./Alvirne) chipped in seven points as well.
Franklin Pierce limited SNHU to just 32.8-percent (19-58) shooting from the field, including 27.3% (6-22) from three-point range. The Ravens finished shooting 43.1% (22-51) from the field and just 26.7% (4-15) from long-distance. Franklin Pierce out-scored the Penwomen, 10-4, at the free-throw line for the night.
Leading by three points (43-40) with 6:59 to play in regulation, Franklin Pierce used a 10-0 run over the next 2:40 to break open a 13-cushion. Lang canned a three and Ocitti converted a conventional three-point play before Bligh capped the run with a jumper.
Stilphen scored a pair of three's to cut the lead to five points (53-48) with 1:26 to play, but the Ravens hit five of six free throws down the stretch and the Penwomen turned the ball over twice in the final minute to ice the victory.
Franklin Pierce (7-12, 3-12 NE-10) is now off for a week before opening a three-game road trip at Stonehill College on Wednesday, February 4, at 5:30 p.m. Southern N.H. (7-12, 2-12 NE-10) hosts UMass Lowell on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.