Feb. 13, 2006

Final Stats |  Quotes

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. - Four players scored in double figures to lead the Marist women's basketball team (18-5/13-1 MAAC) to an 81-69 victory over Canisius (13-10/10-4 MAAC) tonight. Fifi Camara (Conakry, Guinea) got the job done again for Marist with 20 points and seven rebounds while Sarah Smrdel (Mentor, Ohio) matched a career-high 16 points on her 20th birthday. The Red Foxes forced 20 turnovers by the Griffins, while committing just three.

The game was a battle throughout, with Marist's largest lead peaking at 13, but Canisius cut it to as little as five points with a Becky Zak three at 6:32. With Marist's lead teetering at 59-54, Meg Dahlman (Spencerport, N.Y.) hit two free-throws to get the Red Foxes back in motion and Canisius would never come closer than seven points for the duration.

Junior point guard Courtney Kolesar (Painesville, Ohio) to go up 19-13 at 8:37. Canisius' Cheri Wittlieb pulled her team within six with a three of her own, 26-20 at 4:45. The Foxes outscored the Griffs 8-5 in the closing minutes of the half to take a nine-point advantage at the break, 34-25.

Marist opened the second half with intensity, going on a 9-5 run to take its largest lead of the game at 13 points, 43-30 at 15:07. Canisius cut Marist's lead to six, but Nikki Flores (Montvale, N.J.) hit a three to dash the Griffs comeback attempt. Dahlman completed a conventional three-point play at 9:32 to put Marist back up by 10, 53-43. Following Dahlman's next trip to the line, Marist won the battle down the stretch, getting big defensive stops and making late free throws.

The Foxes went 12-15 from the free-throw line in the last three minutes of the game to ice the victory. Flores was 5-6 in the last minute and a half from the line to keep the Griffs at bay as Marist held on to win 81-69.

Camara finished the day with 20 points, seven boards, two assists, two blocks and two steals. Dahlman added 16 points, six rebounds two blocks and three steals whule Smrdel and Flores posted 16 and 11, respectively. Dahlman scored 14 of her points in the second half to fuel the Red Foxes down the stretch. Kresge was perfect at the point, with eight assists and not a single turnovers while adding four rebounds and two steals.

Canisius had four players with 10+ points as well, with Megan Lyte leading the way with 18 and Amanda Cavo adding 13.

Marist completed the season sweep of Canisius with its victory tonight. The last time either one of the programs swept the other in the regular season was in 2001-02 when the Griffins won both games. The Red Foxes remain in first place in the MAAC with a three-game lead on the second place Griffs.

Marist's 81 points scored was a season high and its highest total since Jan. 16, 2003 when the Foxes defeated Rider, 88-78. The Red Foxes three turnovers are a season and program record low. Marist capitalized on Canisius' mistakes, tallying 23 points off turnovers.

The Red Foxes will hit the road for a pair of big MAAC games at Iona and Loyola on Friday and Sunday.