Jo. Leedham leads Ravens to 11th win in 12 outings with 23 points

BLAUVELT, N.Y. (December 30, 2007) – Franklin Pierce University, ranked 25th in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll, notched its 11th win in 12 tries this season with a 70-59 victory at Dominican College of Blauvelt as part of the Pace University Holiday Classic this afternoon.

Sophomore All-American Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) again led Franklin Pierce, netting a game-high 23 points (17 second half), aided by 9-of-12 shooting at the free-throw line, four rebounds, three steals and two assists. She has been the Ravens top scorer in 11 of their 12 games so far this season.

Junior Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) backed up her sister with 14 points, six assists and three steals, while senior Josie Lidke (Chaska, Minn./Chaska) totaled 12 points and six rebounds. Freshman Tori Ahrens (East Greenwich, R.I./East Greenwich) chipped in a game-high nine rebounds.

Sophomore Adele Laskowski (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) led Dominican with 14 points, hitting 8-of-11 free throws, and four rebounds. Senior Dana Rotio (Garfield, N.J./Paramus Catholic) added 11 points, while junior Shalissa Burgess (Englewood, N.J./Paramus Catholic) chipped in ten points and six rebounds.

Franklin Pierce shot 44.6-percent (25-for-56) from the field on the day, including 6-for-12 (50%) from three-point range, while Dominican hit just 34.8% (16-46) from the field overall and 2-of-14 (14.3%) from beyond the arc. The Chargers stayed in the game by out-scoring the Ravens 25-14 at the free-throw line. Franklin Pierce shot 48% (12-25) in the second half, while the hosts hit at just 28% (7-25) over the final 20-minutes.

The game featured four ties and four lead changes over the opening six minutes of the contest, but Franklin Pierce worked a five-point edge (16-11) after a Johannah Leedham lay-up midway through the half. Jennifer Leedham hit a three to give the Ravens a seven-point lead (27-20) with five minutes left in the opening half, but Dominican scored six-straight points (four coming at the line) to pull back within one (27-26) with 3:46 left in the frame.

Franklin Pierce closed the half out with a 7-1 spurt, sparked by a Vanessa Power (Mildura, Australia) three, to carry a seven-point cushion (34-27) into the break. The Ravens earned their first double-digit lead (42-32) after a Johannah Leedham lay-up four minutes into the second half.

Dominican was able to scratch to within six points on a couple of occasions in the second half, but Franklin Pierce sealed things with an 8-0 run over a three minute span to open a 14-point advantage (68-54) with 1:24 left. Ahrens sparked the run with a conventional three-point play, while Johannah Leedham added a pair of baskets.

Franklin Pierce (11-1, 6-1 NE-10) returns to action next Saturday when it visits defending National Champion and 10th-ranked Southern Connecticut State University at 1:30 p.m. The Ravens return home on Tuesday, January 8, to host preseason NE-10 favorites Bentley College at 5:30 p.m. Dominican (7-3) travels to Chestnut Hill College on January 5 at 1 p.m.