Dec. 7, 2001

Box Score

Poughkeepsie, NY - The Marist College women's basketball team won their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opener 61-57 over Manhattan this evening at the McCann Center. The Red Foxes played good defense in the first half, limiting Manhattan to .242 percent shooting from the field, and went into the locker room with a 24-18 lead. Marist scored the first six points of the second half to extend the margin to 12 at 30-18. The Jaspers then went on a 13-0 run to take their only lead of the game at 31-30 with 14:26 remaining. The Red Foxes scored the next eight points to jump ahead 38-31 and were able to hold Manhattan off down the stretch to claim the 61-57 victory.

Junior Sarah Tift (North Kingstown, RI) was a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line and scored a season high 16 points to lead the Red Foxes. Marist also received a double-double effort from senior Diesa Seidel (Red Hook, NY) who totaled 11 points and 13 rebounds, while senior Marie Fusci (Levittown, NY) chipped in 13 points for the Red Foxes.

Manhattan's Rosalee Mason (11 points, 13 rebounds) and Eve Walters (10 points, 11 rebounds) each recorded a double-double for the Jaspers. Tiffany Schettig was Manhattan's high scorer with 13 points.

The Red Foxes (4-2, 1-0) won their MAAC opener for the first time in their four-year history in the league. The win also snapped Marist's 12 game losing streak to the Jaspers dating back to the 1984-85 season.

Marist shot 43.2 percent from the floor in the game, while limiting Manhattan to just 32.8 percent from the field.

The Red Foxes will conitue MAAC play this Sunday, December 9th when they travel to Jersey City, NJ to take on St. Peter's at 2:00 PM.