Box Score
Click here to view the 2011-12 Manhattan Women's Basketball Yearbook
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan College women's basketball team began its season-long five-game homestand with a 2-6 overall record. The Jaspers ended it by moving over .500 for the first time this season. Manhattan (7-6, 1-0 MAAC) capped the homestand by notching a 59-45 victory over Rider (8-4, 0-1 MAAC) in its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opener at Draddy Gymnasium on Monday afternoon.
"It was a good opening win," Head Coach John Olenowski said. "It was almost an extension of the last game we played (Friday night against Sacred Heart). We faced a very good opponent, we played great defense, and we valued the ball. It was a pretty good formula, just like last game."
The lead switched hands six times in the early going before Manhattan went in front for good on a three-pointer by Lindsey Loutsenhizer (North Huntingdon, Pa.) midway through the first half. After a pair of free throws by Ondya Morgan (New Brunswick, N.J.), Carleigh Brown sank a jumper for Rider that again made it a two-point game, 18-16, with 7:52 left before halftime. However, an offensive rebound and putback by Loutsenhizer 18 seconds later ignited a 14-4 Manhattan run to end the half, and the Jaspers went into the locker room with a 32-20 advantage.
Rider opened the second half on a 14-6 rally to cut its deficit to four, 38-34, with 12:23 remaining. However, the Jaspers would hold the Broncs without a field goal for the next six minutes. Manhattan extended its lead to a game-high 17 points when Nadia Peters (Bronx, N.Y.) was fouled on a layup and drained the free throw to make it 52-35 with 6:48 remaining. The Broncs got back within 12 at 57-45 before Peters capped a 5-for-5 night at the line to finish off the scoring and extend Manhattan's winning streak to five. The Jaspers have now won five straight games at Draddy Gymnasium for the first time in nine years.
Monica Roeder (Marlton, N.J.) went 7-for-8 from the field (including 3-for-3 from three-point range) for a game-high 19 points. Peters added 11 points and five rebounds, while Schyanne Halfkenny (Hyde Park, Mass.) and Loutsenhizer each finished with nine points and seven boards. Halfkenny also posted three assists and three steals, and Loutsenhizer tallied five steals. Manhattan shot 43.1 percent (22-of-51) from the field, 28.6 percent (4-of-14) from three-point land, and 91.7 percent (11-of-12) at the charity stripe.
Caitlin Bopp led Rider with 11 points. She added seven rebounds. Emily Fazzini collected 10 points, while MyNeshia McKenzie tallied nine points and 12 rebounds. Sironda Chambers had eight points and six rebounds to go along with three steals, and Alyssa Parsons dished out a game-high four assists for the Broncs. The Broncs shot 31.5 percent (17-of-54) as a team and outrebounded the Jaspers 39-27, including a 19-8 edge on the offensive glass. Rider shot 21.4 percent (3-of-14) from downtown and 66.7 percent (8-of-12) at the free throw line.
The Jaspers hit the road for the first time in nearly a month on Wednesday night, when they visit Loyola (4-8, 0-1 MAAC) at 7 p.m. The Greyhounds have won five straight against Manhattan, including all three matchups last season.
NOTES: The Jaspers have won three straight against the Broncs and lead the all-time series 25-8...Manhattan beat Rider at home to open MAAC play for the second time in three seasons...Manhattan improved to 8-23 all-time in MAAC openers...The five-game home winning streak is Manhattan's longest since the Jaspers won six straight at Draddy Gymnasium during the 2002-03 season...Manhattan is 16-for-17 at the free throw line over its last two games...As a team, the Jaspers notched a season-high six blocks in the game...The Jaspers forced at least 25 turnovers for the sixth consecutive game...Loutsenhizer had five steals for the second time in three games and the third time this season...Manhattan Assistant Coach Christine Catalanotto is a 2005 Rider graduate, and she started 56 of 57 games at point guard during her career with the Broncs...Following the women's game, the Manhattan and Rider men's teams squared off.
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