Box Score MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Fairleigh Dickinson played Robert Morris even for three quarters on Sunday afternoon but could not beat the Colonials for a third time this season and dropped its NEC Quarterfinal matchup, 68-59.
Kelsey Cruz (Chester, Va./Lloyd C. Bird) had 18 points to lead the Knights. Cruz finished the season with 591 career points, which the most in a single season in program history. Livermore was also in double figures with 14 points and added nine rebounds.
Kiana Brown (Richmond, Va./Hermitage) had nine points, six assists and a block.
"I am proud of my team for playing hard. I loved how our two seniors; Erika and Kelsey, battled until the end. We could never cut the lead down to that single digit mark we were looking for in the second half", said head coach
Peter Cinella.
He continued, "Erika has played here for five years and Kelsey has played here for four and they battled until the very end. They have to hold their heads up high. Not the outcome we wanted but we played hard for 40 minutes."
Fairleigh Dickinson (11-21) opened the game on a 14-5 run, powered by
Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area)'s six first quarter points. Robert Morris (18-12) then closed the opening 10 minutes on a 7-2 spurt to cut the Knights' lead to 16-12 at the end of one.
The Colonials then started the second quarter on an 8-0 run -- six different players scored -- to take a 20-16 lead. Robert Morris would then extend the lead out to 30-21 at the 1:48 mark of the second when Lou Mataly hit a three-pointer. An
Amina Markovic (Brooklyn, N.Y./Midwood) jumper from
Brianna Thomas (Baldwin, N.Y./St. John the Baptist Diocesan) and an
Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) layup got the Knights back within six, 31-25, at the intermission.
Kelsey Cruz (Chester, Va./Lloyd C. Bird) scored seven of her 18 in the third and her jumper with 5:38 to play got the Knights to within three -- 39-36. Robert Morris responded with a three and the another Cruz jumper got it back within three -- 42-39 -- with 3:31 left in the period. Ana Niki Stamolamprou hit another three for Robert Morris to get the lead back to six. That would be as close as the Knights would get.
Robert Morris got the lead to as many as 16 in the final period. Cruz hit a jumper -- the only Knight to hit a field goal in the final 10 minutes -- and Brown and
Anastasia Williams (Central Islip, N.Y./St. John the Baptist Diocesan) hit free throws to get the Knights to within nine in the final minute.
Williams finished with seven points and nine rebounds off the bench for the Knights.
