March 4, 2006
Final Stats
Albany, N.Y. -
The Marist women's basketball team (22-6) prevailed over Iona (17-12), 60-59 in a game with 12 lead changes and five ties. Four Red Foxes scored in double figures led by Sarah Smrdel's (Mentor, Ohio) 16 points, but defense was the difference maker as Marist held Iona to 32% shooting in the second and forced 18 turnovers. With the win, Marist advanced to its third consecutive MAAC Tournament Final which will be played tomorrow at 12:00 p.m.
Marist kicked off the game with an early 5-2 lead after a triple from senior Kristen Vilardi (Fishkill, N.Y.). Iona kept at it offensively and took its first lead of the day at 16:17, up 10-9 on a three from Melissa Yeagley. The Gaels took a 16-11 advantage at 13:02, but a pair of made free-throws by Smrdel kicked off a 9-0 Marist run to take a 20-16 lead at 9:15. Iona soon took the momentum from the Foxes, going on a 15-4 run to take a 31-24 lead with four minutes left in the half. Marist closed the gap late in the game, with Smrdel hitting the last shot to take it to 35-32 Iona at the half.
The Foxes came out hot in the second half, erasing their deficit and going up 39-36 after a Fifi Camara (Conkary, Guinea) layup. Both teams traded buckets and Marist maintained the slimmest of leads throughout the half. Iona crept back in with a Jessica Anger jumper at 8:41, cutting Marist's lead to 49-48, but Meg Dahlman (Spencerport, N.Y.) answered with a layup to keep Marist up by three. Iona quickly tied the game with a Tiara Headen three-point play, but Marist's Nikki Flores (Montvale, N.J.) proved she could do it too, converting the and-one on the next play to keep her team up 54-51 at 5:06.
The last five minutes of the game were filled with missed shots and fouls, and a made free throw by Regan Pettijohn took it to 58-56, Marist with 1:30. Camara padded the advantage with a jumper by Camara but Iona's Lauren DeFalco answered with one of her own and converted a free-throw for the three-point play.
Up 60-59, Marist could not convert on the ensuing possession and Iona had the ball with 26 seconds on the clock. Fittingly, the Red Foxes' trademark defense carried them through the end of the game, stifling Iona's chance for a game-winning play.
Marist had four players in double figures for the seventh time this season and fourth time in the last five games. It was the 17th time the Foxes have had three or more players in double-digits. Smrdel led all scorers with her 16 points off the bench while Camara added 14. Dahlman nearded a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds while Flores also added 12 points off the bench. Junior guard Alisa Kresge (Holmdel, N.J.) was near perfect at the point with seven assists, and just one turnover along with four rebounds.
Iona's Tiara Headen finished with a double-double on 11 points, 10 rebounds while three other players added 10 points each. Marist's bench proved the difference maker, as the Red Foxes' reserves outscored Iona's 31-14.
The Red Foxes will face the third seeded Loyola Greyhounds (20-9) in the Championship Game at 12:00 p.m. tomorrow. Loyola knocked off defending tournament champs Canisius in the semifinals.
