SPRINGFIELD, MASS. - Casey Dulin (Milford, Conn.) scored a career-high 20 points, on 8-11 shooting and 3-4 from three-point range, as the top-seeded Marist women's basketball team handled #9 Saint Peter's Friday afternoon in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) quarterfinals at the MassMutual Center.
The eight field goals and three three-pointers were also career-highs for Dulin and she added five rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals. Corielle Yarde (Reading, Pa.), who was named the MAAC Player of the Year on Thursday, finished with her third double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Leanne Ockenden (Syracuse, N.Y.) had 15 points and five boards and Brandy Gang (Hartville, Ohio) was also in double figures with 10 points. The Red Foxes shot 49% (27-55) for the game and had seven blocks on the defensive end.
Marist (23-7, 17-1 MAAC) opened the game on a 9-0 run, as the defense held Saint Peter's (5-26, 4-14 MAAC) to 0-6 shooting, while Dulin and Gang each had a block. Meanwhile, four of the Red Foxes' starters put points on the board, let by three from Gang on a layup and free throw. Ockenden, Kelsey Beynnon (Burlington, Vt.) and Yarde also all had buckets.
They maintained that lead throughout the rest of the half before closing the opening period on a 13-2 run that left them doubling up the Peahens at the break 36-18. Dulin and Yarde started the run, hitting three shots from the free-throw line. Dulin then hit her second trey and a layup, surrounding a Peahens' basket. Yarde followed that with a layup of her own and Ockenden hit a long three-pointer at the buzzer to close the scoring.
Dulin and Ockenden led all scorers at the break with 13 and eight points, respectively. Yarde had six points and eight boards. Emily Stallings (Newburgh, N.Y.) had four rebounds in nine minutes off the bench.
The two teams went shot for shot to begin the second half. Yarde hit a three-pointer and Gang made a layup to match Peahens's baskets and maintain a comfortable lead.
Saint Peter's cut the lead to 14 at 49-35 with 10:36 left, Marist used a 12-4 run over a five minute span to break the game open again at 61-42. Beynnon and Ockenden hit consecutive baskets to start the streak. After a pair of Peahen's free throws, Beynnon converted a three-point play, off of a Dulin assist. Ockenden scored the final five points of the run. She first made a nice cut for a lay-in, then hit her third three-pointer of the game to give Marist a 19-point lead with 5:06 left. Yarde assisted both of Ockenden's baskets.
The Red Foxes advance to the semifinals on Friday at 11:30 a.m. where they will play the winner of the quarterfinal matchup between #4 Loyola and #5 Niagara.
Notes - Marist is now 4-0 all-time versus Saint Peter's at the MAAC Tournament... They lead the all-time series 22-15 and have won 15 straight over the Peahens going back to the 2005-06 season... Head Coach Brian Giorgis is 21-3 in his career against Saint Peter's.
