Dec. 20, 2008
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist (9-1) women's basketball team won a defensive battle against St. Bonaventure, 48-45, at the McCann Center on Saturday afternoon. An Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) layup with 1:12 left to go in the game proved to be the difference.
Senior guard Julianne Viani (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) led the Red Foxes in scoring with 13 points. Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) scored in double figures for the 44th straight game, putting up a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. She also had three blocks. Allenspach and Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) scored six points apiece.
St. Bonaventure (7-3) opened the game ahead 5-2 on an Erica Schiefen three-pointer and Dana Mitchell jumper. Marist came back to take the lead, 6-5, on consecutive layups by Allenspach and Viani. The Bonnies answered with a 7-0 run highlighted by jumpers from Megan Van Tatenhove and Andrea Doneth to make the score 12-6 with 7:10 to go in the first half. The Red Foxes came back with a 13-0 run, sparked by an Élise Caron (Quebec, Canada) layup, over the next 3:52 to take a 19-12 lead. Marist took their largest lead of the half with 47 seconds remaining when Maria Laterza (Brooklyn, N.Y.) split a pair of free throws to make the score 24-14.
The Bonnies went on a 9-4 run to start the second half, as a Mitchell jumper made the score 28-25 with 16:08 to go in the game. Marist got the lead back up to eight, 33-25, with 13:21 to go. St. Bonaventure tied the game at 34-34 on a pair of Katelyn Murray free throws with 9:28 left in the game. With the game tied at 38-38, Johnson put the Red Foxes ahead with a pair of free throws with 6:08 to go in the game. On the next possession, Schiefen knocked down a triple to give the Bonnies a 41-40 lead. St. Bonaventure extended the lead to three, 43-40, with a Cara Gustafson layup with 3:45 left.
Marist tied the game at 43-43 with a Viani three-pointer with 2:38 to go in the game. The Red Foxes then took the lead 45-43 on a Fitz layup set up by Caron with 1:56 to go. Mitchell tied the game at 45-45 on a Mitchell jumper with 1:36 left in the game. On the ensuing possesstion, Allenspach took the ball from the left wing and knifed her way to the bucket for the game-winning basket with 1:12 to go. Viani split a pair at the line with eight seconds left to make the score 48-45. St. Bonaventure had one last chance, but Doneth's jumper came up short.
The Red Foxes shot 37.2% from the field while the Bonnies shot 32.1%. Marist was 13-for-21 at the free throw line. St. Bonaventure made seven of their nine free throws. The Red Foxes also outrebounded the Bonnies 35-32.
Marist returns to action on Monday, December 29 when the Red Foxes take on East Carolina in the opening round of the Florida International University Sun and Fun Classic. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
