Jan. 23, 2006

Box Score

STATEN ISLAND, NY - A dominating frontcourt effort from centers sophomore Ali Ridge (Barrington, IL / Fremd) and senior Joyce Queiroz (Sao Paulo, Brazil / Colegio Spinosa) was not enough as the Wagner Seahawks fell in a defensive slugfest to the defending NEC champs St. Francis (PA) by a score of 59-53 earlier tonight at the Spiro Sports Center. Ridge had a career and game-high 17 rebounds to go along with eight points while Queiroz had 12 points on 6-7 shooting in 21 minutes off the bench.

The Red Flash are now 3-15 and 3-5 in the NEC while running their winning streak over Wagner to nine games. The Seahawks lost their fifth-straight game and fall to 1-15 and 1-6 in the NEC.

With the scored tied at 50, Ridge went to the line for a one and one and missed the first, only to get her own rebound and get fouled again. After missing the first, she made her second one to put Wagner up 51-50 with 2:05 to go. Unfortunately that would be the last lead for the Seahawks. After exchanging possessions for the next 45 seconds, SFPA guard Amber Hein hit a jumper from the free throw line to put the Red Flash up 52-51. After a Wagner turnover Hein went to the line to put SFPA up three with 37 seconds to go. Wagner then made things interesting as Queiroz scored on a lay-up while drawing the foul on a perfectly executed pass from junior guard Ashley Robinson (Joliet, IL / Regina Dominican) with 26 seconds to go. Queiroz however missed the free throw and Hein bucketed another pair of free throws to put SFPA up three with 22 seconds to go. Wagner would have one more chance to tie the game but a Joy Gallagher (Hazleton, PA / Hazleton) three-pointer would not fall and SFPA added three more free throws to put the game out of reach at 59-53.

In the game, Gallagher also scored her 1,000th career point to become the 20th Seahawk in school history to hit the mark.

After intermission the Seahawks raced out of the gates, scoring the first six points to go up by their largest lead of the game at 30-26, a lead they would match five times only to see the Red Flash answer each time.

The game stood tight at the beginning as both team struggled from the field. With the game tied at 11-11, SFPA put together a 7-0 run covering nearly four minutes for an 18-11 lead with five minutes to play. An 11-4 stretch by the Seahawks would then even the count at 22-22 three minutes later. After a jumper and a pair of free throws from the Red Flash, freshman Casey Stokes (Hummelstown, PA / Lower Dauphin) drilled a jumper as the clock expired for a two-point, 26-24 Wagner deficit at the half.

Sophomore guard Chelsey Bunyer (Shannon, IL / Eastland) had another stellar game with 12 points and six rebounds to round out the top scorers for the Seahawks.

Both teams struggled from the field as the Red Flash shot 29.5 percent (18-61) from the field while the Green and White hit at a 37.7-percent clip (20-53). Once again the Seahawks were done in by turnovers as they turned the ball over 23 times compared to just 14 for SFPA.

The Seahawks will next be in action on Saturday, Jan. 28 when they head to Long Island for a 2 pm tilt.