Jan. 5, 2008
Final Stats
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Powered by Rachele Fitz's (Seven Hills, Ohio) game-high 21 points and seven rebounds, the Marist women's basketball team moved to 3-0 in the MAAC, defeating Fairfield 73-43 at the McCann Center Saturday night. The Red Foxes' defense also put on a show, holding the Stags without a field goal for the last 11:04 of the game.
Senior center Meg Dahlman (Spencerport, N.Y.) scored 16 points for the second consecutive game, pulled down five boards, and had a game-high three steals. Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) scored in double-figures for the second-straight game putting in 11 points, going 3-for-6 from three-point distance.
Marist (13-2, 3-0 MAAC) opened the game on a 6-0 run, sparked by a Dahlman triple. Fairfield answered with a 10-0 run, capped by a Lauren Groom three-pointer. Fitz would score the next 5 points for the Red Foxes to give them an 11-10 lead with 14:26 to go in the first half. With the game tied 15-15, Marist went on a 10-0 run, highlighted by three-pointers from Allenspach and Sarah Smrdel (Mentor, Ohio), to go ahead 25-15 with 5:56 to go in the half. Marist would lead at halftime 32-25.
The two teams would trade baskets to start the second half, but Marist would increase their lead to 15 on an Élise Caron (Quebec, Canada) jumper in the lane, making the score 50-35 with 11:20 to go in the game. After a Meka Werts three put Fairfield within 12, the Red Foxes began to pull away. Marist would go on a 23-5 run over the next 11:04, holding the Stags without a field goal for that span. Seven Red Foxes would score over that span, with Nikki Flores (Montvale, N.J.) and Maria Laterza (Brooklyn, N.Y.) scoring four points each for Marist to close the game.
Marist shot 42.9% from the field in the game, making 29-of-59 shots. They also went 10-of-13 at the free-throw line. The Red Foxes held Fairfield to 28.3% shooting in the game, the third-lowest percentage given up by Marist this season. Marist dominated the paint, outscoring the Stags 40-8 in the lane and held a 42-30 rebounding edge. The Red Foxes also scored 23 points off 18 Fairfield turnovers. Marist assisted on 20 of their 29 baskets in the game.
Fairfield (10-4, 0-3 MAAC) was led by Sabra Wrice's 11 points. Meka Werts added eight points off the bench, and Baendu Lowenthal chipped in seven points and seven rebounds.
Marist goes on the road Friday to take on the Loyola Greyhounds in Baltimore. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
