This Franklin Pierce University women's basketball recap is presented by Belletetes

WESTBURY, Conn. (January 2, 2019) – Franklin Pierce University women's basketball sophomore guard Sophia Holmes (Oakland, Maine.) scored a season and career-high 21 points in the Ravens 77-65 loss to non-conference opponent Post University Wednesday evening at the Drubner Center. The loss sends the Ravens to 2-10 overall and the Eagles soar to 6-5 on the year.

Holmes scored two more points than her previous career-high of 19 markers in her only start last season at Southern New Hampshire University on February 17, 2018. Holmes buried 8-of-13 (61.5%) of her shot attempts while coming down with a personal-best seven boards and four thefts.

Freshman forward Izzy Lipinski (Farmington, Conn.) joined Holmes in double figures with 14 points on 7-of-9 (77.7%) efficiency from the hardwood. The newcomer also snagged five caroms, dished out four assists and tallied two steals. Classmate Lisa Sulejmani (Burlington, Vt.) chipped in 12 points, three steals, and one board.

For Post, two players recorded double-digit points. Gabriela Middleton notched 21 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and three steals while Sha'Raya Haines manufactured 18 markers, six boards, two assists and two steals.

Post took 10 more shots than the Ravens, but only made one more conversion than their counterparts. FPU shot 53.1% in the showdown compared to 45.8% for the hosts. Post scored 14 points off the 18 Raven turnovers and had the superior post presence (30-to-22).

The Ravens led by two just two minutes into the battle when Sulejmani and Lipinski dropped in buckets each. Haines gave her squad their first edge 7-4 connecting on a long-range attempt at the 7:12 mark in the first quarter. Both teams traded points and possessions until Freya Cooney (Woodbridge, England) split one of two free throws at the line to make the score 16-15 in favor of the Eagles after the opening 10 minutes.

Back-to-back Cooney lay-ins pushed FPU to their biggest lead in the contest 19-16 with 8:27 to go before the break. Hannah Benach immediately answered with a trey ball to deadlock the score 19-19 on the ensuing possession. The Ravens regained the slim lead 21-19 when Holmes stole the rock and pulled up into a transition jump shot. Trailing 34-28, the Crimson and Grey notched the final two buckets of the half to head into the intermission behind 34-32.

Middleton banged in a layup to get the scoring started in the third quarter. Raven sophomore guard Hannah Everidge (Baldwinville, Mass.) brought the deficit within one, 36-35 by draining a trifecta. The game remained tied over the next several minutes. Taylor Ceballos increased the Eagle edge to three 46-43 until Sulejmani split one of two free throws at the charity stripe to make it a two-point 46-44 game. Post out produced the Ravens 9-3 over the final three minutes to lead 55-47.

A Melanie Polanco trey pushed the Post advantage to 11 the first double-digit lead of the game, 62-51 with 7:59 left to play. Six consecutive markers from the Ravens brought it to a two-possession game 62-57 when Holmes drained another jumper. Middleton immediately answered via five markers to push the lead back to double digits. A couple of possessions passed when Ann Marie Nelson iced the game making a layup and expanding the margin to 14, 72-58.

The Ravens are off until Saturday, January 12th when they return to Northeast-10 Conference play against Le Moyne College at noon.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens ), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce women's basketball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store). You can also follow the women's basketball team on Twitter (https://twitter.com/FPURavensWBB) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/franklin_pierce_wbb/).