Women's Basketball Picks Up First Win as Nation's Top-Ranked Team
Ravens survive first game as nation's top-ranked team; Johannah Leedham notches double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds; Marielle Giroud throws in 17 points; and Tori Ahrens rips down 13 boards
PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (January 6, 2010) - The top-ranked Franklin
Pierce University women's basketball kept its win streak going on
Wednesday night with a gutsy 65-59 victory over Pace at the
Goldstein Fit Center in Pleasantville, N.Y. The Ravens, who
yesterday jumped to No. 1 in the latest edition of the USA
Today/ESPN WBCA Division II Top-25 Poll, improved to 12-0
overall and 8-0 in the Northeast-10. Pace dipped to 9-4 overall and
6-2 in league play.
Senior standout and three-time reigning Northeast-10 Player of the Week, Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England), logged her fourth double-double of the season with a game-high 21 points and 13 rebounds. She also handed out six assists and blocked three shots, but she did not collect a steal. Leedham, who needs just four thefts to become the NE-10's all-time leader in that category, will get the chance to break the record in front of the home crowd on Saturday afternoon when the Ravens play host to Saint Rose at 1:30 p.m. in The Fieldhouse in Rindge.
Sophomore forward Marielle Giroud (Martigny, Switzerland) was Franklin Pierce's other double-figure scorer with 17 points, including a strong 11-of-14 effort from the free throw line. Junior center Tori Ahrens (East Greenwich, R.I.) netted eight points and also pulled down a game-high tying 13 rebounds. Junior guard Cynthia Gaudet (Coventry, R.I.) chipped in seven points and senior backcourt-mate Kirsten Doldoorian (Brimfield, Mass.) came off the bench to toss in six points.
Taylor Losey paced the Setters offensive attack with 17 points, while Carol Johnson and Brittany Huggins pumped in 11 points apiece.
The Setters gave the top-ranked Ravens all they could handle as the game saw 11 ties and nine lead changes. Pace did hold a 52-50 lead with 7:10 remaining in the game and appeared to be on the verge of one of the biggest wins in program history. However, Franklin Pierce would not give up its No. 1 ranking and outscored the Setters, 15-7, the rest of the way to pull out the six-point win.
The late surge started with Franklin Pierce scoring eight-straight
points to open up a 58-52 lead with 4:09 to go. Giroud sparked the
rally with a pair of free throws and Doldoorian followed on the
Ravens next possession by converting a three-point play on a layup
and foul shot. Leedham capped the run with a free throw.
The teams would trade free throws over the next several minutes. Leedham, who scored 10 of her points in the second half, converted two shots from the charity stripe to stake the Ravens to a 64-56 edge with just 34 seconds remaining. Those two free throws effectively put the game out of reach as Pace could not make another serious run the rest of the way.
The Ravens also helped their cause on the defensive end by limiting Pace to just 27 percent shooting (8-of-30) in the second half.
Pace began the game on a 5-0 run a little more than 30 seconds into the contest. The initial shot woke up Franklin Pierce and the Ravens responded by scoring nine of the game's next 11 points to grab a 9-7 edge with 15:04 left in the half. Leedham aided the run with six-straight points, including a three-pointer deep behind the arc.
It was then Pace's turn to go on a run and the Setters obliged by scoring 14 of the next 18 points over a five-minute span to pull ahead 21-13. Maral Javadifar scored the rally's last four points.
Gaudet drilled a trey at the 7:36 mark and Giroud knocked down three free throws to kick-start an 11-0 run by Franklin Pierce as it took a 26-23 lead with 4:34 to go. The teams swapped baskets the rest of the half as it concluded on a layup from Ahrens to knot the score at 30 heading into the locker room at halftime.
Both teams continued to exchange baskets over the initial stages of the second half before Franklin Pierce went on its late rally to pull out the come-from-behind win.
The win for Franklin Pierce was its 25th in the last 26 games overall and its 17th-straight regular triumph dating back to the end of last season.
Franklin Pierce's doubleheader with Saint Rose on Saturday (women's game at 1:30 p.m.; men's game at 3:30 p.m.) will be "Rocky the Raven Kids Day." Children who accompany a paying adult will gain admittance for free. There will be several events held during the day and lots of prizes will be given away, including temporary Raven tattoos. Children will also get the opportunity to meet their favorite Ravens as both teams will take part in post-game autograph sessions.
For more information on Franklin Pierce women's basketball, or "Rocky the Ravens Kids Day," please visit the team's page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.)