WORCESTER, Mass. – The Saint Anselm College women's basketball team was on the losing end of a 74-69 result at nationally-ranked Assumption University on Wednesday.
Saint Anselm has now lost two games in a row, falling to 11-13 overall on the season and to 7-11 versus Northeast-10 Conference opponents. Assumption, ranked No. 23 in NCAA Division II (Women's Basketball Coaches' Association), moves to 21-4 (14-4 NE10).
The Greyhounds are the top defensive team in the nation, limiting opponents to just 49.6 points coming into the game – the Hawks were only the third team all season to score at least 69 points against Assumption.
Junior Alexa Quirolo (New Rochelle, N.Y.) scored a career-high 18 points for the Hawks, making seven of her 10 shots that includes three from beyond the arc. Senior Liv Robles (Wallingford, Conn.) produced 14 points and nine rebounds while sophomore Melanie Hoyt (Stamford, N.Y.) was responsible for 13 points and two blocks.
Junior Gabby Turco (Wildwood, N.J.) poured home 13 points, including seven free throws – on the season, she has made 123 shots at the charity stripe to rank fifth all-time in single-season team history. Assistant Coach Peyton Steinman '22 set the team record last season with 155 to her credit.
A slow start ultimately doomed the Hawks as the hosts opened up a commanding 14-2 advantage just five-plus minutes into the game. Assumption made five of its first eight shots, limiting the Hawks to just two points from Hoyt while committing three turnovers in that span.
The Greyhounds grew their lead to a game-high 13 points in the second quarter. Saint Anselm concluded the second stanza on a positive note, posting 17 of the final 28 points leading into halftime – the Hawks trailed by just seven points at the break.
Assumption re-built a 12-point lead with 3:35 to go in the third, scoring 14 points and limiting the Hawks to just nine in the first six minutes of the second half. Turnovers continued to haunt Saint Anselm – despite matching the Hounds shot-for-shot (6-for-13, 46.2%), the Hawks committed four miscues.
A huge 10-2 scoring run for the Hawks in the fourth quarter made things interesting, cutting the nationally-ranked Greyhounds lead to just two points with 5:24 remaining in the game. Assumption found its stroke from beyond the arc, creating distance with back-to-back triples on its next two shots.
Saint Anselm finished the game with just four made field goals on 13 attempts with two turnovers. Assumption had four miscues, but made shots when it counted, missing just one of its final five shots in the game.
The Hawks will celebrate Senior Day on Saturday against Saint Michael's and will recognize the achievements of McKenzy Ouellette (West Newfield, Maine), Macy Spinks (Luton, England) and Robles with a pre-game ceremony.
