Franklin Pierce Stuns #18 American International, 55-50
Stelmack leads Ravens to upset, sets new single-season three-point standard
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (February 5, 2005) - Franklin Pierce collected its third road win over its last four trips with a huge 55-50 victory over American International College, ranked No. 18 in this week's USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at Butova Gymnasium this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce held American International to 29-percent (21-53) shooting from the field, including 24.2% (8-33) in the second half. The Yellow Jackets were also limited to 2-16 from three-point range (1-10 second half), while the Ravens canned 5-10 over the final 20-minutes. Franklin Pierce also out-rebounded the taller Yellow Jackets 47-37, including 29-19 in the second half.
Sophomore guard Mollie Stelmack (New Westminster, British Columbia/New Westminster) led the Ravens with 19 points (12 second half) and in the process set a new single-season three-point record. Stelmack shrugged off a 2-for-8 first half (0-5 three's) and connected on 4-7 from the field in the second half, including 4-6 from long-distance. She also finished with seven rebounds and four assists.
Sophomore Danielle D'Ettorre (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario/St. Mary's) added 14 points and 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season (fifth career). Senior guard CiCi Williams (Boston, Mass./East Boston) chipped in a career-best nine points and six rebounds.
Junior Sharmion Selman (Burlington, Vt./Burlington) led the Yellow Jackets with a game-high 21 points (14 first half) and six rebounds. Sophomore Alissa Rubino (Port Jefferson, N.Y./Camsewogue) registered ten points, five rebounds and four assists, while freshman Jen Nnanna (Somerset, N.J./Franklin) finished with seven points, 11 boards and four blocks.
Stelmack buried two three's in a span of 40-seconds three minutes into the second half to give the Ravens a 31-29 lead and pass the College's single-season three-point record of 57 set by Juanita Brown ('99) during the 1998-99 season. Prior to hitting the back-to-back three's, Stelmack had hit just four of her last 23 attempts from beyond the arc over the last three and a half games.
With the game tied at 39-39, the Stelmack again struck for back-to-back three's to give the Ravens a six-point edge (45-39) with 8:20 to play. The three's sparked a 9-0 run that put the Ravens up 48-39 with 4:14 to play.
Selman broke a six-minute AIC drought with a lay-up with 3:53 to play and the Yellow Jackets closed to within four points (50-46) after a Selman free throw with 1:44 to play. Williams drained her first three-pointer of the season, with the shot clock winding down, to put the Ravens back up seven (53-46) with 44.3-seconds left and seal the win.
Franklin Pierce fell behind by 12 points (20-8) midway through the first half after a 12-0 AIC run, sparked by eight points from Selman. The Ravens used a 17-4 stretch to take a one-point lead (25-24) after a D'Ettorre lay-up with 50-seconds to play in the stanza, but a Ladley three-pointer with 27-seconds to play gave the Yellow Jackets the lead (27-25) heading into the locker room. D'Ettorre scored all eight of her first half points during the Ravens run.
Franklin Pierce (12-9, 9-8 NE-10) returns to action on Tuesday when it hosts No. 15 Bentley College at 5:30 p.m. American International (18-6, 12-5 NE-10) visits Saint Anselm College on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.