The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team won, 53-49, on the campus of Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, MD, Saturday, Jan. 5. In the late morning, Head Coach Peter Cinella's wife, Lynne, gave birth to the couple's third child, Kyle. Hours ? and miles ? later, the first-year head coach rejoined the Knights and capped his emotional day by collecting his first-ever Northeast Conference victory.
Senior forward Jennifer Walkling (Westminster, MD/Westminster) (Westminster, MD) went for a double-double of 20 points ? 15 coming in the second-half ? and 11 rebounds, as the Knights improved to 5-8 overall and 1-2 in league competition. The win also marked the senior class's first win at Knott Arena.
The Mountaineers slipped to 3-11 overall and 1-2 in the NEC, despite a double-double of 14 points and 10 boards by freshman guard Mary Dunn (Whippany, NJ). Senior guard Tiffany Green (Arlington, VA) chipped-in 19 points.
FDU freshman guard Jasmyra Saunders (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Catholic) (Trenton, NJ) registered a career-high 13 points and grabbed five rebounds.
“Today was a great day” Cinella said. “Tonight we grinded out a big road win on the strength of defense and rebounding. Jen really stepped up in the second-half, with Jasmyra coming through with some big plays.”
Fairleigh Dickinson opened the night on a 9-2 run, with senior center Mercedez Walker (Stratford, CT/Bunnell) (Stratford, CT) notching the team's first two hoops down low. Senior guard Shanay Freeman (Laurelton, NY/Towsend Harris) (Laurelton, NY) banked-in a runner and Saunders cashed-in on a lay-up in transition.
Sophomore forward Christy Altamirano (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) (Bayonne, NJ) went off glass with a turnaround on the left block at the 10:13 mark to halt a 5:50 drought from the field. Walkling then added a wide open deuce for a 13-8 lead.
The Mount tied the contest, 16-16, and went up by a bucket with 2:52 remaining, following a steal and conversion courtesy of Green. FDU freshman guard Alyssa Mayrose (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) (Freehold, NJ) answered on the ensuing trip down the floor with a driving lay-in from the right baseline.
Saunders ? who led the squad in the initial 20 minutes with seven points ? scored the Knights' final five points of the half, as Fairleigh Dickinson hit the break ahead, 23-21. Green countered with 11 points.
Green nailed a three-pointer to spark a 7-0 run to open the second stanza. Saunders responded with an off-balanced runner in the lane.
Altamirano snatched an offensive board and converted a put-back, ultimately triggering a 10-0 surge, as senior center Nikki Lockhart (Rochester, NY/Nazareth Academy) (Rochester, NY) knotted the game with a lay-up in transition. Saunders also penetrated two additional times for scores, giving FDU a 35-31 advantage at the 13:32 mark.
Walkling was driven to the floor with 9:40 left, yet rattled home her attempt to hold the four-point lead. Once again, the Mountaineers battled back to tie things and regain the lead, when Freeman popped a long jumper, grabbing a 42-41 advantage.
Walkling recorded three-straight baskets, putting the Knights up, 48-42 with 3:36 remaining.
Fairleigh Dickinson travels to Easton, PA at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 8 to take on Lafayette College ? its final non-conference contest of the season.
