Ravens win sixth-straight behind balanced offense and 57-percent shooting

COLCHESTER, Vt. (February 19, 2008) – Franklin Pierce University, ranked 20th in this week’s USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll and third in the NCAA II Northeast Regional rankings, rolled to an 81-55 victory over Saint Michael’s College, ranked seventh in the region, in Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball action at the Ross Sports Center tonight.

Franklin Pierce blazed the nets by making 63.1-percent of its shots on the night (field goals and free-throws combined), including a blistering 64% (16-25) combined in the second half. The Ravens finished shooting 57.1-percent (28-for-49) from the field in the contest, including 60.9% (14-23) in the second half, and converted 13-of-16 (81.3%) of its free-throw attempts. The Ravens fired at a 66.7% (12-for-18) clip from three-point range on the night, including 8-for-13 (61.5%) in the opening half.

Saint Michael’s inability to keep pace in the first half, cost them as the Purple Knights made just 30.4% (7-23) from the field in the opening half as Franklin Pierce built a 47-18 lead at the break. The Purple Knights finished shooting 40.4% (23-57) from the field, including 4-for-12 (33.3%) from beyond the arc, on the night.

Sophomore All-American Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) led a balanced offensive effort for Franklin Pierce with a game-high 17 points (ten first half), six assists and five steals. Junior Vanessa Power (Mildura, Australia) scored 11 of her 14 points in the first half, as she buried all three three-point attempts in the opening stanza, to go with four rebounds. Sophomore Jess McPherson (Croydon, Australia) added 11 points, while senior Josie Lidke (Chaska, Minn./Chaska) chipped in ten points, a team-best five rebounds and two steals.

Sophomore Michelle Otey (Southborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) led Saint Michael’s with 14 points and four rebounds, while freshman Logan Pintka (Niskayuna, N.Y./Colonie) added 14 points and four assists. Junior Erica Masi (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford) chipped in eight points and five boards.

Franklin Pierce took immediate control of the contest, scoring the first 11 points of the night – capped by back-to-back three’s by Johannah and Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) less than five minutes in. The Ravens lead grew was 15 (17-2) after a Power three with 12:59 to go in the half and was 21 after a Lidke three with 4:43 left before ending at 29 (47-18) after Power’s third three heading into the locker room.

Franklin Pierce squashed any hopes of a second half comeback early in the second half by opening as much as a 41-point bulge (63-22) after a 12-0 rush, capped by a Johannah Leedham three with 15:24 to go.

The win keeps Franklin Pierce within a game of first place Stonehill College (17-3) in the NE-10 standings and a full game ahead of Assumption College (15-5) with two games to play. The Ravens can clinch second place in the NE-10 with a win or Assumption loss the rest of the way as they own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Greyhounds.

Franklin Pierce (21-4, 16-4 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday, when it hosts Saint Anselm College on Senior Day at 1:30 p.m. Saint Michael’s (13-12, 9-11 NE-10) hosts Bentley College on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.