Staten Island, NY – Freshman forward Kerstie Phills (Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Christian) scored 19 points and grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds as Wagner overcame a 19-point deficit in taking a brief fourth-quarter lead before LIU Brooklyn inched back in front in the end to pull out a wild 63-58 win in the season finale for both teams tonight.
 
The Seahawks trailed 41-22 with 5:22 left in the third quarter before embarking on a monster 31-8 run in taking a 53-49 lead with 3:47 remaining to play. The Blackbirds responded with a game-ending 14-5 spurt to win it and end their season with an overall record of 6-24 and 5-13 in the NEC.
 
With the loss, the Green & White end their season at 4-25, 3-15 in league play.
 
Junior guard Tanasia Russell (Vineland,, NJ / Vineland) added 13 points for the Seahawks while freshman guard Sydney Sabino (Rumson, NJ / Rumson-Haven) came off the bench to knock down four three-pointers en route to a career-high 12-point outing.
 
LIU Brooklyn freshman Aja Boyd, a 6-2 freshman, was a force inside, recording game highs with 28 points and 15 rebounds. Shanovia Dove added 21 points for the visitors.
 
The Blackbirds took a 29-16 halftime lead over cold-shooting Wagner and appeared to have in the game in hand after opening the second half with a 12-6 surge in building that 41-22 lead before the Seahawks staged their huge, game-changing run.
 
The Seahawks closed the third quarter on a 19-4 to make it a 45-41 lead entering the fourth. The 31-8 run continued into the final stanza when Wagner outscored LIU 12-4 to open the fourth in taking that 53-49 lead. Phills and Sabino paced Wagner in the overall run with nine points apiece with all Sabino's coming via three long-range missiles.
 
Freshman guard Kellie Crouch (North Brunswick, NJ / St. John Vianney) added nine points on the evening for the Seahawks. Like her classmate Sabino, who went 4-of-9 from deep in recording her 12 points, all of Crouch's points came via the three-ball as she would up 3-of-9 form beyond the arc.
 
The future appears to be a bright one for first-year head coach Heather Jacobs as the Seahawks lose just two players to graduation in senior forwards Taylor Butigian (Rockaway Park, NY / Christ the King) and Jackie Dluhi (Middletown, NJ / Middletown South) while returning each of their top six leading scorers next season.
 
Wagner Returns Top Six Scorers, Including Four Freshmen (Overall/NEC Scoring Averages)
Freshman Kerstie Phills (12.9 overall /16.2 NEC) – Closed season with 19 straight double-digit games, led team in scoring 13 times
Junior Tanasia Russell (10.9 overall10.4 NEC) – Scored double digits in 17 games
Freshman Kellie Crouch (8.9 overall/9.8 NEC) -  68 Made 3-pointers, T-4^th in single-season school history
Sophomore Julia McClure (7.4 overall/7.5 NEC) – Four double-doubles on season
Freshman Corinn Baggs (6.9 overall/8.9 NEC) – Double-digits in nine games, including three of last five
Freshman Sydney Sabino (3.4 overall/2.4 NEC) – limited to 16 games due to injury

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