Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. ? Abby Wentworth (Portland, Maine) tallied a career-high in the scoring column for the second straight game, but her 17 points, four assists and four steals weren't enough for the Manhattan College women's basketball team on Sunday afternoon, as the Lady Jaspers (5-11, 2-3 MAAC) dropped a 76-66 decision to Rider (3-12, 1-4 MAAC) in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at Draddy Gymnasium.
Rider jumped out to an 11-4 lead barely three minutes into the game before Manhattan fought back to force a 17-17 tie on Michelle Pacheco's (Bronx, N.Y.) layup with 10:20 left in the half. However, the Broncs ended the half on a 29-13 run and took a 16-point, 46-30 lead into the locker room. Rider shot 46.1 percent (19-of-31) from the field and outrebounded Manhattan 17-10 in the first half.
“The 46 points in the first half were way too many,” Head Coach Myndi Hill said. “We made some nice adjustments in the second half, but we dug ourselves into too big of a hole.”
The Lady Jaspers, who made just one three-pointer the entire first half, used the long ball to get back in it. Tammy Meyers hit a layup to put the Broncs in front 51-35 at the 16:45 mark, but a pair of Wentworth free throws ignited a 15-4 Manhattan run that got the Lady Jaspers back within five. After a jumper by Alicia Marculitis (Worcester, Mass.) and a layup by Lindsey Loutsenhizer (North Huntingdon, Pa.), Annie McIntyre (Portland, Ore.) calmly sank three-pointers on three consecutive possessions to cut Rider's lead to 55-50 with 11:45 remaining.
Rider scored the next six points to run its lead back to double figures, but Manhattan again responded. The Lady Jaspers went on a 10-2 spurt to pull within three at 63-60 with 5:41 left, but that's as close as they would get. Marculitis and Meyers traded jumpers before Wentworth drained a pair of free throws to make it 69-66 at the 3:13 mark. With Manhattan forced to foul down the stretch, Rider made its final five free throws to seal the 76-66 victory.
Wentworth led the Lady Jaspers with 17 points. Marculitis was the only other Manhattan player in double figures, pouring in 10 points to tie her career-high. Kelly Regan (Williamsville, N.Y.) tallied nine points and a team-best six rebounds, while McIntyre poured in nine points on the three treys. Pacheco dished out a team-high five assists. As a team, the Lady Jaspers shot 40.7 percent (22-of-54) from the field, 31.3 percent (5-of-16) from behind the arc, and 68.0 percent (17-of-25) at the charity stripe.
Meyers had 15 of her game-high 21 points in the second half for Rider. Amanda Sepulveda tallied 18 points and five assists for the Broncs, while Cintella Spotwood added 11 points and six rebounds. Ashley Anderson contributed 10 points off the bench. Shaunice Parker grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with six points and four assists, as Rider outrebounded Manhattan 35-29. The Broncs shot 48.1 percent (25-of-52) from the field, including 30 percent (3-of-10) from three-point range, and 74.2 percent (23-of-31) at the line.
The Lady Jaspers now hit the road for five of their next six games, starting with their annual trip to Western New York for a pair of MAAC tilts next weekend. Manhattan visits Niagara (1-15, 0-5 MAAC) at 7 p.m. on Friday, then concludes the season series with Canisius (12-4, 4-1 MAAC) next Sunday at 2 p.m.
NOTES: The Rider victory snapped Manhattan's seven-game winning streak in the series...The Lady Jaspers now hold a 20-7 edge in the all-time series...Wentworth's previous career-high was 16 points, which she'd done twice, including Friday evening against Canisius...Her four steals also marked a new career-high...Marculitis also had 10 points against St. John's on Nov. 22...The teams combined to make 40 free throws and attempt 56, the most in any Manhattan game this season in each category...Manhattan assistant coach Christine Catalanotto played at Rider from 2004-06...This contest was the opener of a Manhattan basketball doubleheader...In the nightcap, the Manhattan men's team took on Siena.
