Jan. 8, 2010
Box Score
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist women's basketball team moved to 3-0 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Friday night, defeating Fairfield 70-63 at the McCann Center. The win is the Red Foxes' seventh in a row and allowed Marist to win all six games on its recent homestand. Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) led all players with 26 points and added eight rebounds. Corielle Yarde (Leesport, Pa.) had 25 points and also pulled down eight boards.
Fitz scored 17 of her points in the second half, finishing the game 10-for-17 from the field. Yarde made 9-of-14 shots from the field, making all three of her three-pointers and all four foul shots. Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) scored 10 points with five rebounds and three assists.
The game started out with a 5-5 tie 1:28 into the game. A Katelyn Linney three-pointer sparked an 11-3 run for Fairfield (8-6, 2-1 MAAC), giving the Stags a 16-8 lead with 14:04 left in the half. Linney made two other threes during that stretch. Marist (11-4, 3-0 MAAC) got threes from Allenspach and Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) to cut the deficit to four, 18-14, with 13:07 left in the first. The lead was then cut to two, 19-17, at the 12:33 mark on a Yarde triple. The Stags got their lead up to five 1:21 later on a Desiree Pina three-pointer, making the score 24-19.
A Kate Oliver (Sydney, Australia) layup then started a 7-2 run for the Red Foxes, as a Fitz three and an Allenspach jumper tied the game at 26-26 with 7:45 left in the half. Brittany MacFarlane gave Fairfield the lead back with a three at the 7:27 mark. That would be the Stags' last basket of the half. A Fitz layup started a 14-0 run for Marist that lasted till the end of the half. Fitz and Yarde combined for eight of the 14 points, as Johnson and Allenspach each made a three during the run. Fairfield ended the half missing its last nine shots from the field and committing three turnovers.
Leading 40-29 at halftime, the Red Foxes grew the lead to 14 3:55 into the second half on baskets by Yarde which made the score 45-31. Marist led 51-39 with 11:54 to go in the game when Pina went on an 8-0 run by herself, getting Fairfield within four 51-47 with 10:10 left. Back-to-back baskets by Fitz started an 11-4 run for the Red Foxes, putting them ahead 62-51 with 5:45 to go. Yarde capped off the run with a pair of free throws and her third three-pointer of the game. Fairfield got within six, 64-58, with 3:30 to go on a three-point play by Taryn Johnson. That would be as close as the Stags would get, as Fitz and Yarde scored the last six points for Marist to get the 70-63 win.
Marist shot 44.8% from the field, including 8-of-16 three-pointers. Fairfield shot 41.5% from the field, but committed 16 turnovers. The Red Foxes outrebounded the Stags 35-33. Pina led Fairfield with 21 points. Johnson added 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Stephanie Geehan, Fairfield's leading scorer and rebounder, was held to seven points and three rebounds.
The Red Foxes now play its next three games on the road, starting Monday night at Rider. Tipoff at Alumni Gymnasium is at 7 p.m.
