Nov. 13, 2009
Box Score | Press Conference| Highlights
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist women's basketball team made quite the first impression for the 2009-10 season, defeating North Carolina A&T 80-64 at the McCann Center Friday night in the first round of the preseason WNIT. The Red Foxes shot 48.3% from the field in its season opener, holding the Aggies to 31.9%. Senior forward Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) led all players with 30 points and added nine rebounds.
Junior guard Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) had 20 points and seven rebounds. Fitz and Allenspach were a combined 19-26 from the field in the game. Sophomore guard Corielle Yarde (Leesport, Pa.) made an impact in her first career start, scoring 10 points with four rebounds.
Marist (1-0) got out to a 7-1 lead 3:15 into the game with Allenspach scoring the first five points. North Carolina A&T cut the lead to four at 9-5 with 15:50 to go in the first half on two jump shots by Jaleesa Sams. The Aggies hung in the first half early, getting within three at the 11:06 mark on an Amber Calvin three-pointer. Freshman forward Kate Oliver (Sydney, Australia) then scored her first two career points on a baseline jumper, which sparked a 9-2 run that put Marist ahead 25-15 with 8:35 remaining in the first half.
North Carolina A&T (0-1) got baskets from Nakia DeBlanc and Nikia Gorham to get back within seven, 27-20, with 7:29 left in the half. Yarde then put in a layup 20 seconds later to get the Red Foxes back up by nine. The sophomore's basket kicked off an 8-0 run for Marist, which was capped off by a Yarde three, to put them ahead 35-20 with 6:07 remaining in the half. Marist took its largest lead of the half at the 4:00 mark when Emily Stallings (Newburgh, N.Y.) knocked down a jumper to make the score 39-23. That lead would be tied at the end of the half, when Allenspach put in a layup at the buzzer to make the score 45-29.
Marist grew its halftime lead to 22 points at the 14:40 mark of the second half, as a Fitz jumper made the score 59-37. Marist led 63-41 with 12:20 remaining when the Aggies went on a 13-0 run over the next 3:44 to get within nine, 63-54. Tierra Thomas scored four points during the run, with Sams adding three. The Red Foxes were 0-3 from the field during that run with three turnovers. Allenspach would turn the tide in Marist's favor, as her jumper at the 8:24 mark ended North Carolina A&T's run and started a 7-0 run for the Red Foxes. A Brandy Gang (Hartville, Ohio) three-pointer and two Allenspach free-throws put Marist ahead 70-54 with 5:05 remaining and put the game out of reach.
The Aggies outrebounded Marist by 10, 50-40, but committed 16 turnovers. Marist had 21 assists in the game with only 11 turnovers. Sophomore guard Kristine Best (Commack, N.Y.) led all players with five assists and did not commit a turnover. Ta'Wuana Cook led the Aggies with 15 points, as Sams and Crystal Murdaugh each scored 10.
Marist will now travel to West Virginia for the second round of the preseason WNIT. The Mountaineers defeated Towson Friday night 79-42 at WVU Coliseum. The game will be played Monday night at 7 p.m.
