The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's team scrapped towards its fourth-consecutive Northeast Conference win, 72-66, at Wagner College, Monday, Feb. 9. The Knights improved to 8-15 overall and 7-6 in league action at the Spiro Sports Center in Staten Island, NY.
The third road win of Head Coach Peter Cinella squad's season, thrust the team above .500 in the NEC for the first time since Jan. 11. Wagner dropped to 6-17 overall and 2-11 in the NEC after trailing in a tandem of categories: points in the paint, 36-22; and fast break points, 15-7.
Forward Christy Altamirano (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) racked up her seventh double-double of her junior campaign, going for a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds, while matching a pair of season-bests at the free throw line (7-of-10). Freshman guard Mariyah Laury (Orange, NJ/Orange) added 20 points, canning nine field goals for the fourth occasion this season.
Senior center Shenika Chang (New York, NY/Park West) grabbed a season-high 13 rebounds, flanked by seven points. Sophomore guard Alyssa Mayrose (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) ? who played all 40 minutes ? finished with 13 points, five assists, and four rips. Junior backcourt mate Jordan Sykes (Avalon, NJ/Holy Spirit) registered 12 points and four steals.
A trio of Wagner student-athletes went for double-digit scoring totals, but no player hit the glass more than six times. Senior guard Stephanie McBride tallied a team-best 18 points, with junior guard Andrea Reed contributing 17 points, six rebounds, and six dimes. Sophomore forward Ashley Olsen chipped-in 11 points and six caroms.
“This is a great, gutty win ? we made a lot of big shots down the stretch, as Jordan and Shenika hit huge free throws,” Cinella said. “Christy and Mariyah hit clutch shot after clutch shot. We started out the game, and the second half, on the attack and those were the keys.”
After missing an early inside attempt, FDU nailed five-consecutive attempts from the field, jumping out to a 12-3 advantage with 16:11 remaining. Sykes connected twice from downtown during the spurt. Meanwhile, the Seahawks did not connect from the floor until over three minutes after the opening tip.
McBride stroked a three-ball and senior guard Casey Stokes splashed down a long jumper, slicing the margin to 16-12 at the 11:27 margin. The Knights responded, as Mayrose burst through the lane and delivered a backdoor lob to Altamirano on the right block.
Wagner once again cut the count to a four-point differential. Mayrose then capitalized on a high screen and penetrated to convert an uncontested scoop shot. The pace soon slowed, with Fairleigh Dickinson scoring one field goal over the final 7:37 of the first half. Its host struck once from the field during the last 6:31 of the period.
Altamirano's 11 points led all scorers, while Chang hauled down 10 boards. McBride tallied 10, accounting for all of her squad's points from long-distance. The Knights grinded inside to a 10-4 tune.
Chang earned a pair of second-chance points to start the second half, followed by Mayrose swiping a pass and notching a lay-in to open up a seven-point lead. Reed picked an FDU pocket and went for a lay-up, en route to creating a one-possession contest.
Sykes went to the rack and flipped a pass out to Mayrose who knocked down a trey from the right corner. The next two trips down the hardwood, Laury rattled home a runner, then fed Altamirano with a no-look inside, as Fairleigh Dickinson pressed on for a 48-41 cushion with 11:09 on the clock.
Stokes stepped into a wide open three-pointer, but Altamirano rebutted seconds later with a trifecta of her own. The Knights reclaimed their largest lead of the evening at nine, yet back-to-back Seahawk three-balls ? the latter coming at the 6:12 mark ? left it at 59-54 in favor of FDU.
A 9-2 push by Wagner ? capped by a pair at the line from Stokes ? gave the home-standing squad its first advantage of evening, 62-61, with 3:02 remaining. Mayrose went strong to the hole, but an offensive put-back put the Seahawks back on top. Laury then popped a long J, followed by a few game-sealing free throws.
Fairleigh Dickinson travels to St. Francis College (NY) in Brooklyn, NY, at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, Feb, 14.
