Jan. 5, 2006

Final Stats

Niagara, N.Y. - Marist had 11 players score in a balanced offensive effort against MAAC foe Niagara at the Gallagher Center this evening. With their seventh consecutive win, the Red Foxes improved to 7-4 overall, 3-0 MAAC. Marist utilized a 13-5 run at the close of the first half to take the control of the game that they would not relinquish. Three Marist players scored in double figures including Fifi Camara, Julianne Viani and Meg Dahlman.

The game started off slow, with neither team striking offensively until Viani, the reigning MAAC Rookie of the Week, drained a free-throw at 17:45. Marist soon followed with its first field goal of the game by Dahlman. The two teams traded buckets early, but the Red Foxes maintained a lead or tie, never giving the Eagles an advantage. Niagara's Michele Manfredi made a layup to take the score to 12-10, Marist at 13:19, but her team would not score again for four minutes.

Marist's Dahlman hit a putback layup to start a 13-0 Red Fox run highlighted by a pair of three-pointers. The Red Foxes held a 25-10 advantage at 9:51 in the first and never looked back. They utilized a 13-5 run later in the half to take a 38-21 lead into the break. Marist shot 44% from the field in the half while holding Niagara to 27.6% shooting.

Niagara center Jennifer Roueche kicked off scoring in the second half with a jumper at 19:32, and her team would not score again for another nine minutes. Marist went on an 18-0 run between Niagara baskets, including five points from sophomore reserve Sarah Smrdel. Head Coach Brian Giorgis utilized his bench freely, resting the starters from the 14:00 mark on. Niagara's Manfredi broke her team's scoring drought and went on to score nine points in the rest of the half, including a 6-7 performance from the free-throw line.

Every available Marist player saw action in the contest, which proved a team effort both offensively and defensively. Marist matched its season high point total with 70 points for the second consecutive contest. The Red Foxes also forced 19 turnovers by the Purple Eagles.

Camara led all scorers with 15 points in 18 minutes of play while Dahlman was Marist's leading rebounder with seven and added 13 points and two steals. Viani was sound again, posting 14 points, five rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes. Marist's biggest effort off the bench came from Smrdel, who pounded out eight points and six boards. Classmates Courtney Kolesar and Nikki Flores each recorded three points and four and five rebounds, respectively.

Manfredi led the Eagles with 12 points and nine rebounds while Toni Smalley put forth a 10 point, eight rebound effort.

The Red Foxes will battle Canisius for first place in the MAAC on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. The game will be a rematch of last year's MAAC Tournament final, which the Griffins won 60-59.