NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Junior Meg Morrissey (So. Kingstown, R.I.) and sophomore Allie Jones (So. Kingstown, R.I.) each scored 10 points, but the Saint Anselm College women's basketball team dropped a 64-53 decision to Merrimack College on Wednesday evening at Bert Hammel Court at the Volpe Athletics Center.
The Hawks dip to 3-3 on the season, including 0-3 in Northeast-10 play, while the Warriors bump their record to 4-1, 2-1 NE-10.
Morrissey reached her season high in points on 3 of 5 shooting from the field and 4 of 5 shooting at the line. She also tallied three assists, two steals and a pair of rebounds. Jones was 5 of 11 from the floor to go along with four rebounds and two assists. Junior Briana Jones (White Plains, N.Y.) posted eight points, nine rebounds and six assists, while senior Curran Leighton (Dover, N.H.) notched eight points and five boards.
The Warriors jumped out to a 5-0 lead before a long jumper from Briana Jones, a pair of free throws from Morrissey, a midcourt steal and layup by Leighton and another Jones basket gave the Hawks an 8-5 lead just under four minutes in.
Merrimack responded by reeling off seven straight points, however, to grab a 12-8 lead at the 13:01 mark. Another pair of free throws from Morrissey sliced it to two at 12-10. The Warriors led 14-12 when five consecutive points widened the gap to seven at 19-12 with 6:31 on the clock.
Layups by Allie Jones and junior Ashley Viselli (Groveland, Mass.) trimmed the Saint Anselm deficit to three before a Cassi Amenta bucket made it a five-point game. Freshman Alexius Hampton (Charlotte, N.C.) answered with a trey from the top of the key that moved Saint Anselm within a pair at 21-19 with 4:08 remaining.
The Warriors hit back with a pair of layups from Kelly Schatzlein and a basket from Chloe Rothman to gain an eight-point lead with a tick under two minutes to play in the opening half. Layups on consecutive possessions from junior Tori Lehr (Cohasset, Mass.) and Viselli trimmed the Merrimack lead to 27-23 heading into the break.
After Lehr opened the second-half scoring with a layup that made it a two-point game, four straight from Merrimack nudged its advantage to six at 31-25 just 1:31 in. Merrimack led by eight, 35-27, when a 10-0 Saint Anselm run put the Hawks back on top, 37-35, with 14:29 remaining. Consecutive baskets from Briana Jones, followed by two Leighton treys from the left wing, made up the stretch.
A 5-0 Merrimack run, with a 3 from Allison Wagner and a pair of Jaclyn Lyons free throws, put the Warriors back in control at 40-37, but an 8-0 stretch from the Hawks gave them their largest lead of the night at 45-40 with 9:21 to go. Morrissey sparked the run with a steal that was finished on the other end by junior Kierra Moore (Albany, N.Y.). Morrissey then converted a pair of layups, before Allie Jones dropped in a driving layup to cap the run.
Lyons stopped the bleeding with a trey from the left side before a Schatzlein three-point play put the Warriors ahead by one with 8:25 left. The teams then traded baskets two times before Merrimack reeled off six straight to grab a 56-49 lead with 3:26 remaining.
Morrissey halted the run with a layup at the 2:12 mark, but an Amenta basket and a pair of Rothman free throws put Merrimack ahead, 60-51, with 40 seconds on the clock. Lehr made a layup 18 seconds later, but after Rothman made her first at the line on the ensuing possession, Schatzlein grabbed the miss on the second attempt, put it in and then converted the three-point play at the line to close the scoring with 17 seconds left.
Viselli chipped in six points, while Lehr added six points and four boards.
Merrimack outshot Saint Anselm, 43.4 percent (23-53) to 40.4 percent (23-57), including 31.6 percent (6-19) to 20 percent (3-15) from long range. The Warriors also outrebounded the Hawks, 39-35, and turned the ball over just nine times, while forcing 14 Saint Anselm turnovers.
Schatzlein led Merrimack with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
The Hawks return to action Saturday, Dec. 1 at 1:30 p.m. when they play host to Franklin Pierce University at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium. Stay up-to-date with the latest news, including game previews and recaps, directly from the Saint Anselm College athletic department by liking us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/STAHawks) and following us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/STAHawks).
