Dec. 1, 2008
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Junior forward Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) scored a game-high 34 points to lead the Marist women's basketball team to a 66-55 win over Lafayette at the McCann Center Monday night. This is the second time this season Fitz has scored over 30 points. She also had a game-high 13 rebounds for her second consecutive double-double.
Fitz was 15-of-20 from the field, tying the school record for field goals in a single game. She also tied a career-high with four blocked shots. Senior guard Julianne Viani (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) added 13 points and tied career-highs with nine assists and four steals. Viani was 6-of-7 at the free throw line. Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) was the Red Foxes' top scorer off the bench, putting in six points and four rebounds.
Marist (5-1) opened the game on a 5-0 run, getting a pair of free throws from Viani and a three-point play from Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio). After Lafayette got on the board with 17:12 left in the half to make the score 5-2, the Red Foxes went on a 9-0 run. Fitz and Viani combined for eight of those points, putting Marist ahead 16-2 with 12:19 to go in the half. The Leopards came back with a 10-0 run, highlighted by an Elizabeth Virgin three-point play, to make the score 16-12 with 9:25 left in the first half.
Johnson knocked down a jumper to put Marist back up six, 18-12, with 8:56 to go in the half. A pair of Élise Caron (Quebec, Canada) free throws gave the Red Foxes an eight point lead, 22-14, with 8:03 to go in the half. Marist extended the lead to 10, 30-20, on a Fitz layup assisted by Viani with 3:10 to go. The Red Foxes ended the half with their largest lead of the half, 34-22. Marist shot 43.3% in the first half despite not making a three-pointer.
Lafayette (1-5) opened the second half on a 5-0 run highlighted by a Cristin Zavocki three-point play to get within seven, 34-27, 1:31 into the period. Marist made its first three-pointer of the game with 18:29 to go as Allenspach set up Viani for the triple to go ahead 37-27. That three-pointer ignited an 11-4 run that put Marist ahead 45-31 with 13:41 to go in the game. The Red Foxes had their largest lead of the game at 18 when Johnson put in a layup assisted by Corielle Yarde (Leesport, Pa.) to make the score 52-34 with 10:56 to go.
The Leopards made one last run. Lafayette went on a 10-0 run over the next five minutes to get within eight, 52-44, with 5:56 left in the game. Fitz then hit a layup assisted by Viani to get the Red Foxes back up by 10 with 5:42 to go. After a pair of Viani free throws made the score 56-46 with 4:40 to go, Fitz scored Marist's next eight points to put her team ahead 64-51 with 2:24 left in the game and put the game out of reach.
Marist shot 43.6% from the field despite going 2-for-15 from the three-point arc. The Red Foxes shot 84.6% from the free throw line. Lafayette shot only 33.9% from the field despite having 17 offensive rebounds. The Leopards outrebounded Marist 40-38 and forced 17 Red Fox turnovers. Cristin Zavocki led Lafayette with 21 points while Elizabeth Virgin added 18 points off the bench.
The Red Foxes open the 2008-09 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference season on Friday at Niagara. Tip-off at the Gallagher Center is at 7 p.m.
