Jewel White moves into the top-10 in program history for career scoring with 1,264 points

RINDGE, N.H. (January 28, 2012) -- The Franklin Pierce University women's basketball team staved off a furious Saint Rose rally to down the Golden Knights, 57-53, on Saturday at The Fieldhouse in Rindge. The Ravens won their second-consecutive game to improve to 13-6 overall and 10-5 in the Northeast-10, while St. Rose dipped to 12-7 and 9-6 in league play.

Franklin Pierce was led by its super senior duo of Marielle Giroud (Martigny, Switzerland) and Jewel White (Worcester, Mass.) on the afternoon as both players registered double-doubles. Giroud tossed in a game-high 18 points and ripped down 14 rebounds, while White went for 17 points and 15 boards. White also moved into the top-10 in program history for career scoring with 1,264 points. Junior guard Tiffany Johnson (St. Albans, Vt.) came off the bench to net nine points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. 

Ashley Rath paced the Saint Rose attack with 13 points, while Gabie Polce followed with 10. 
The first half looked as if the Ravens were going to run away with the game as they built a double-digit lead midway through the stanza and eventually got it to 14 at 31-17 with 2:19 to go when Johnson dropped in a deep triple from the left wing. 

Franklin Pierce took a 33-21 lead into the locker room at halftime, thanks in part to a strong shooting effort, including 48 percent (13-of-27) from the field and a 50 percent effort from behind the arc (2-of-4). The Ravens reserves also had a big hand in the double-digit halftime lead as they combined to outscore St. Rose's subs by an 11-4 count.

St. Rose had different plans in the second half and scored the first five points and 13 of the first 15 to pull within one at 35-34 with 14:14 left. Polce and Rath each netted four points during the surge, but it was a team effort to pull off the run as five different Golden Knights scored during it.

The Golden Knights, though, couldn't find the go ahead basket over the next few possessions and Giroud was able to convert a three-point play at the 11:04 mark to put the Ravens up by four at 40-36.

Saint Rose didn't flinch and finally pulled ahead with five-straight points over a three-and-a-half-minute span to take a slim 41-40 lead. Sanchez started the run with a layup and Polce drained a trey with 7:55 left to give the Golden Knights the advantage.

The teams traded baskets and one-point leads during the next seven possessions. Johnson converted a layup to put the Ravens up 42-41, but Alison McGrath answered at the other end with a layup. Giroud countered with a jumper from the left corner along the baseline to give the Ravens a 44-43 lead, but Polce laid in a basket just seconds later. Junior forward Amanda Saab (Windham, N.H.) hit a driving layup to make it 46-45, yet Ola Shajuyigbe rallied with a driving layup of her own down the right side of the lane on St. Rose's next series. White, again, fought through traffic for a layup with 2:41 to go to put the Ravens up 48-47.

That basket would prove to be the difference as the Ravens would not relinquish the lead the rest of the way and score the ensuing four points to open up 52-47 edge. Giroud scored those four points on a pair of free throws and a layup.  The Golden Knights couldn't rally and the Ravens led by as many as seven late in sealing the win.

Franklin Pierce owned a commanding 43-32 advantage on the glass. The Ravens shot just 39 percent (20-of-52) from the floor, but didn't let it factor in the outcome as they held the Golden Knights to just 38 percent shooting (22-of-58).

Franklin Pierce returns to action on Tuesday when the Ravens travel to Easton, Mass. to face Stonehill at 5:30 p.m. in Merkert Gymnasium.

For more information on Franklin Pierce women's basketball, please visit the team's page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceAthletics).