Box Score
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Just two days after scoring a career-high 13 points, Saint Anselm College freshman Samnell Vonleh (Swampscott, Mass.) posted a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds to help lead the Hawks to a 64-55 win over American International College in Northeast-10 Conference action on Wednesday night in Springfield, Mass.
Raquel Johnson (Inglewood, Calif.) added a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Candace Andrews (Boston, Mass.) scored 16 points to go with six assists and four steals. Ali Glennon (Bedford, N.H.) also reached double figures with 10 points.
The Hawks (11-6, 7-5 NE-10) picked up their fourth-straight win by outscoring the Yellow Jackets by a 23-12 margin in the final quarter. AIC (15-3, 8-3 NE-10) has now dropped three-straight after starting the year 15-0.
American International was led by 14 points and six rebounds from Kamika Mason, while Dana Watts had a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds.
The Yellow Jackets jumped out to an early 5-0 lead before Caitlyn Abela (North Easton, Mass.) hit a three for the Hawks' first basket of the game. Candace Andrews and Raquel Johnson scored back-to-back buckets to give Saint Anselm their first lead of the contest at 7-5, but Brianna Bishop connected on a triple to put the Yellow Jackets back on top.
Clairee Putnam (Windham, N.H.) nailed a three at the 5:15 mark of the opening period to stake the Hawks to a 12-8 lead, and after AIC pulled ahead 14-12, Samnell Vonleh scored inside to tie the game at 14-all. Dana Watts hit a pair of free throws before time expired on the period to give the Yellow Jackets a 16-14 lead at the end of one.
Saint Anselm opened the second quarter on a 10-0 run as Raquel Johnson scored twice with Andrews, Glennon, and Vonleh also adding baskets to help the Hawks pull ahead 24-16. AIC ended the run with a pair of free throws, leading to a 12-2 stretch to close out the second quarter and give the Yellow Jackets a 28-26 lead headed into halftime.
Out of the break, Glennon knocked down a triple to put the Hawks in front 29-28, and a pair of Johnson free throws followed by another Andrews layup extended the lead to 33-28. AIC responded with another big run, scoring 12 of the next 16 points to take a 40-37 advantage with 1:31 to play in the period. A three-point play from Andrews followed by another Johnson free throw gave the Hawks a short-lived 41-40 lead as Ebony Easter connected on a three in the waning seconds of the third quarter to put the Yellow Jackets on top 43-41 at the end of three quarters.
Andrews hit Vonleh with a pass over the top and the freshman converted a layup inside to tie the game at 45-45 with 8:05 to play. After a stop on the defensive end, Andrews hit a tough layup inside to pull the Hawks ahead 47-45, and the Hawks forced another steal leading to a fast break layup for Johnson to take a 49-45 advantage.
AIC got to within 50-49 with a pair of Watts free throws and she put the Yellow Jackets in front on the next possession off an offensive rebound and score. Ali Glennon answered right back for the Hawks with a triple from the wing to give Saint Anselm a 53-51 lead with 3:52 to play in the game. Eventually Glennon slipped a pass to Raquel Johnson, who rolled in a driving layup from the top of the key as the Hawks took a 55-51 lead into the final two minutes of regulation.
Samnell Vonleh's perfect trip to the line extended the lead to 57-51, but Brianna Bishop canned a jumper from the elbow to make it a 57-53 game with 1:21 to play in regulation. After another offensive rebound for the Hawks, Candace Andrews banked in a 12-foot jumper to give the Hawks a 59-53 lead with 28.9 seconds remaining.
Bishop answered on the other end for the Yellow Jackets and they fouled Candace Andrews to stop the clock with the score 59-55.The Hawks went 5-for-8 down the stretch at the charity stripe to ice the game and pull away with the 64-55 victory.
Saint Anselm won the rebounding battle 45-33, grabbing 20 offensive rebounds on the night. The Hawks shot 38.3% (23-of-60) from the field on the night, while AIC shot 36.4% (20-of-55). Saint Anselm committed just 12 turnovers compared to 13 for the Yellow Jackets, which the Hawks converted into 17 points off turnovers.
The Hawks enjoy a six day break as they return to action on Tuesday, January 26 with a 5:30 p.m. matchup with Adelphi University at the Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.
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