The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's basketball team dropped a 77-61 decision versus visiting Sacred Heart University, Monday, Feb. 4 at Stratis Arena in Hackensack, NJ. Senior forward Jennifer Walkling (Westminster, MD/Westminster) (Westminster, MD) banged in the paint all evening for the Knights (8-14 overall, 4-7 Northeast Conference), en route to matching her career-high of 25 points.
Four balers registered double-digit scoring outputs for Sacred Heart (15-8 overall, 10-2 NEC. The Pioneers shot 50% from the field, including a 56% clip from three-point land.
SHU junior center Kaitlin Sowinski (Hopkinton, RI) ? who came into the match-up averaging 17.9 points per game, the third-leading scorer in the league ? recorded nine points. However, the Pioneers poured in a season-high nine three-pointers.
“[Senior center] Mercedez Walker (Stratford, CT/Bunnell) (Stratford, CT) did a great job shutting down their top post player,” said Head Coach Peter Cinella.
Fairleigh Dickinson out-scored the visitors, 30-24, in the paint and also had more fast break points. Freshman guard Jasmyra Saunders (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Catholic) (Trenton, NJ) paced Cinella's bench scoring for the 11th time this year, contributing 12 points. Walkling finished with a team-best eight rebounds.
“Sacred Heart played an unbelievable game and hit shots all over the court,” Cinella said. “As usual, Walkling gave a warrior-type effort and battled all evening. We did a good job cutting down on our turnovers, with 12, but it wasn't enough.”
Senior guard Shanay Freeman (Laurelton, NY/Towsend Harris) (Laurelton, NY) ? who notched a career-high seven assists ? lobbed a half-court outlet pass to Walkling for the night's first field goal. Walkling struck in the post on the ensuing trip down the floor, amidst scoring FDU's first three hoops.
Sowinski gave the Pioneers their first lead of the contest, 8-6, and sparked a 13-2 push, with a lay-in from the left block. Junior guard Stephanie Ryan (Coram, NY) stepped into a three-ball from the top of the key, followed by three the hard way courtesy of freshman guard Alisa Apo (Freehold, NJ) with 15:39 remaining.
Walkling brought things to 19-10, stopping a 4:04 drought from the field after corralling an offensive rebounds and converting the put-back with 12:22 left. Saunders went to the hole and capped an 8-2 FDU run to create a 21-16 contest.
The Pioneers opened up a double-digit margin, 30-16, after Apo drained a trey. Walkling scored down low, before Sacred Heart freshman guard Maggie Cosgrove (Andover, MA) spotted up from downtown with 4:59 left.
Fairleigh Dickinson cut the margin to single-digits, tallying nine-straight. Walker knocked down a three-pointer from the left wing, followed by a deuce from Walkling and a breakaway lay-up by Saunders. Cosgrove stopped the home-standing charge with a jumper from behind the arc with 2:12 on the clock ? good for a 36-27 count.
Senior guard Megan Kirkland (Glen Allen, VA/Hermitage) (Glen Allen, VA) flipped a pass to Saunders in the left corner, and the rookie connected from long-range with 12 seconds left. Sacred Heart responded with an attempt after the buzzer that rattled home, and was surprisingly counted by the officials.
At halftime, the Pioneers held a 39-30 advantage, fueled by a 12-6 run during the first-half's final 5:00. Walkling led all scorers with 14 points, while Cogrove countered with 10.
Sacred Heart connected twice from deep to begin the second-half, before Walkling scored in the lane. Saunders went to the charity stripe at the 16:41 mark, as the Knights trailed, 45-34. Apo quickly answered with a three-ball.
Ryan netted a trifecta with 14:16 remaining ? ultimately opening up a 53-36 stronghold ? as the Pioneers opened the final 20 minutes with a 14-6 surge.
Walkling finessed home a reverse lay-in to cut the deficit to 16 points, 55-39. SHU's Cain opened the gap to 20-plus with a three-pointer with 11:41 left.
Freshman guard Alyssa Mayrose (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) (Freehold, NJ) knocked down a three, making the score, 64-47 at the 8:09 mark.
Cain led the Pioneers, posting 18 points, while Apo finished with 16 points. Ryan went for 14 points and a team-high seven boards.
FDU travels to Loretto, PA to take on Saint Francis University at 4:00 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 9. The contest marks the first of two meetings this season.
