March 7, 2010
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ALBANY, N.Y. - The Marist women's basketball team won its fifth consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament championship Sunday afternoon, defeating the Fairfield Stags 66-49 at the Times Union Center in Albany. Rachele Fitz (Seven Hills, Ohio) was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament after putting up 15 points and four rebounds.
Erica Allenspach (Miamisburg, Ohio) added 13 points and a game-high five steals. Lynzee Johnson (Bellbrook, Ohio) had eight points, four assists, and two rebounds off the bench. Yarde and Allenspach were named to the All-Tournament Team following Sunday's game.
Marist (25-7) got off to a fast start, getting baskets from Fitz, Allenspach, and Kate Oliver (Sydney, Australia) to take a 6-2 lead 2:47 into the game. Fairfield (19-12) responded with six quick points from Taryn Johnson and Stephanie Geehan to take an 8-6 lead 15:25 to go in the opening half. After the Red Foxes tied the game 8-8, Desiree Pina gave the Stags an 11-8 lead with her three-pointer at the 15:02 mark. Oliver and Yarde then made back-to-back threes to put Marist ahead 14-13 with 13:02 to go in the first.
The Red Foxes grew the lead to three, 16-13, at the 12:17 mark on Fitz's third layup of the half. After Pina got Fairfield within one 16-15, Fitz converted a three-point play to make the score 19-15 with 10:28 remaining in the half. Marist led 23-19 when Taryn Johnson converted a three-point play at the 8:05 mark to get the Stags within one, 23-22. The Red Foxes then pulled away with an 11-0 run over the next 7:06, highlighted by six-straight points by sophomore forward Brandy Gang (Hartville, Ohio), to take a 34-22 lead. Pina added one more basket for Fairfield before halftime to make the score 34-24.
Marist grew the lead to 11 with 17:02 to go in the second half on Yarde's second three of the game, making the score 37-26. Fairfield then went on a 7-2 run over the next 1:43, as a Katelyn Linney three-pointer made the score 37-33 with 15:15 remaining in the game. Yarde made another three with 13:18 to go, putting Marist up by seven 40-33. Linney answered with a three of her own to get the Stags within four, 40-36.
The Red Foxes then went on an 8-4 run, getting layups from Fitz, Yarde, and Johnson to take a 48-40 lead with 9:41 to go. The Stags came back with baskets from Liney and Tara Flaherty to cut the deficit in half, 48-44, with 8:31 remaining in the game. Marist then got an Allenspach three and a Fitz layup in the paint to take a 53-44 lead with 5:58 to go in the game. Allenspach then scored the Red Foxes' next four points to put Marist ahead 57-44 with 4:35 remaining. Fairfield closed to within 10 on three Pina free throws with 2:59 to go. The Red Foxes then ended the game on a 9-2 run, with a Johnson three with 23 seconds left putting an exclamation point on the championship victory.
Marist shot 47.2% from the field in the win, while Fairfield shot 35.1%. The Red Foxes also held the Stags to 15% from the three-point line. Fairfield held a 37-26 rebounding advantage, but committed 18 turnovers to Marist's 11. Pina led the Stags with 16 points, with Linney and Geehan adding 10 points apiece.
The Red Foxes now advance to their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament, and their sixth in seven years.
