Jan. 4, 2009
Box Score
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - The Marist women's basketball team shot 41% from the field on its way to a 69-45 win at Rider Sunday afternoon. The win is the Red Foxes' ninth straight and lengthens the program's best start in history to 12-1. Senior guard Julianne Viani (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) led all players with 19 points, making 6-of-9 shots from the field and all five of her free throws.
Junior forward Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) scored in double-figures for the 47th straight game, putting in 12 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Freshman Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) added 10 points and a game high three steals.
Marist (12-1, 3-0 MAAC) got off to a slow start, making only two of its first 10 shots from the field to take a 5-0 lead. Rider battled back to within three, 9-6, with baskets from Amanda Sepulveda and Cintella Spotwood with 13:41 to go in the first half. The Red Foxes responded with an 11-0 run over the next 2:16, with seven straight points from Viani to go ahead 20-9. Ahead 27-15, a Fitz layup sparked a 14-0 run over 4:20 to take a 41-15 lead with 1:35 to go. Viani made both of her three-pointers during this stretch.
Ahead 41-19 at the half, the Red Foxes continued their dominance in the second half. Rider never got within less than 20 of Marist in the second half. Leading 46-25 with 14:55 to go, Marist went on a 7-0 run powered by a Fitz three-point play to take a 53-25 lead with 12:31 to go. A Gang triple with 7:37 to go gave Marist a 60-31 lead, its largest of the game. The Red Foxes shot 40.7% in the second half to keep the Broncs from getting within 24 points the rest of the way.
Marist held Rider to 30.6% shooting from the field in the game, including a 13.3% mark from beyond the arc. The Broncs, however, outrebounded the Red Foxes 44-41. The Red Foxes committed only eight turnovers but scored 23 points off of 18 Rider turnovers. Marist also dominated the lane, scoring 34 points in the paint and blocked seven shots.
Rider (2-10, 0-3 MAAC) was led by Sepulveda's 13 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Sarah Homan added 11 points, going 5-for-5 from the field. The Broncs' loss was their ninth straight and 11th straight to Marist.
The Red Foxes return to the McCann Center Tuesday night to take on Iona at 7:30 p.m. All fans in grades 1 through 8 that bring a recent report card with an "A" on it to the game will receive a free game ticket. The first 500 fans ages 14 & under will also receive a free Marist Book Bag. Fans can purchase tickets to all of these at GoRedFoxes.com, or by stopping by the Marist Ticket Office located in the McCann Center. For more information, call the Marist Ticket Office at (845) 575-3553.
