Dec. 15, 2007
Box Score
Staten Island, NY - Massachusetts extended Wagner's losing streak to six games with a 59-50 win at the Spiro Sports Center. The Seahawks never led in the contest and trailed by as many as 16 late before cutting the deficit to three with just under 12 minutes to go, but could not get any closer as they fall to 2-6 on the year. UMass improves to 5-6.
The Minutewomen started off the game with a 25-9 run with 3:48 to go in the first half and looked to be in cruise control before the Seahawks got things rolling. Wagner then rattled off seven-straight points capped by a three pointer from freshman Ashley Olsen (Staten Island, NY / Notre Dame Academy) before going into halftime down just 30-20, despite shooting a miniscule 24.0 percent (6-25) in the opening 20 minutes.
In the second half, the Seahawk offense caught fire making nine of their first 13 shots while sparking a 9-0 run over 3:12 that cut the Minutewomen lead to 44-41 with 11:42 to go, the closest Wagner had been since the 10:20 mark of the first.
However that would be as close as Wagner would get the rest of the way as UMass answered with six-straight points to open their lead back to nine with 9:28 remaining. Then after a John'a Poole (So., Middle River, MD / Eastern Tech) jumper cut it to 50-43 with 9:01 to go, the Wagner offense went ice-cold. Over the next 9:10 the Wagner offense could only muster one field goal, a Chelsey Bunyer (Sr., Shannon, IL / Eastland) jumper. All told Wagner went 1-16 during the stretch and did not score for 6:33, a span in which they missed 10-straight shots.
Wagner shot under 40 percent for the sixth-straight game making just 31.7 percent (19-60) of their shots but hit on 41.7 percent (5-12) of their threes, including 4-7 in the second stanza. UMass didn't fare much better hitting on 35.1 percent (20-57) but made 15-20 from the charity stripe, compared to just 7-11 for the Seahawks. Wagner's bench outscored UMass 28-9.
Poole paced the Seahawks with a team-best 11 points off the bench. Senior Ali Ridge (Barrington, IL / Fremd) turned in her second-straight impressive performance with a team-best eight rebounds with six blocks and a career-high four assists. Freshmen Stephanie McBride (Mechanicville, NY / Catholic Central) rounded out the top performers for the Green & White with career-highs in rebounds (6), assists (5) and minutes (27).
UMass was paced the threesome of Kate Mills (16 points, 9 rebounds), Pam Rosanio (15 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists) and Stefanie Gerardot (14 points, 6 rebounds).
Wagner heads to NJIT on Friday, Dec. 21 for a 1:00 pm tilt in their final game before the Christmas Holidays.
Notes: Bunyer finished with eight points and is just four away from becoming the 21st Seahawk to hit for 1,000 points ... Wagner's bench scored 28 points while the starters hit for 22 ... That is second time that the bench has outscored the starters this season ... Ridge, Wagner's all-time blocks leader, had six after recording just seven in her first seven games ... UMass is 4-1 all-time against Wagner.
