Box Score
Click here to view the 2011-12 Manhattan Women's Basketball Yearbook
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Monica Roeder (Marlton, N.J.) had 21 points, including 11 straight midway through the second half, as the Manhattan College women's basketball team (13-12, 7-6 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) pulled away for a 57-36 victory over Rider (10-15, 2-12 MAAC) at Alumni Gymnasium on Sunday afternoon.
"Monica really stepped up and had a great night," Head Coach John Olenowski said. "I also give a lot of credit to Alyssa Herrington (Cambridge, N.Y.). She did a great job running the point and contributed with some scoring, as well."
Roeder and Herrington combined for Manhattan's first 13 points, and the Jaspers held a 13-2 advantage less than six minutes into the game. After a layup by Toni-Ann Lawrence (Elmont, N.Y.) made it 19-8 at the 5:52 mark, Rider got back-to-back three-pointers from Emily Fazzini and Alyssa Parsons to trim its deficit to five, 19-14. The Jaspers pushed the margin back to eight points, 24-16, on a Maggie Blair (Briarcliff, N.Y.) trey before the Broncs scored the final three points of the half to go into the locker room trailing 24-19.
Rider pulled within two at 27-25 early in the second half, but Manhattan responded with five points in a little over a minute to push the margin back to seven, 32-25. After a Fazzini jumper once again brought Rider within five at the 14:18 mark, Roeder took over. She scored 11 straight points to ignite a 16-0 Jaspers rally that extended the lead to 21 points, 48-27, with 7:26 remaining. The cushion reached a game-high 23 points when a pair of free throws by Nadia Peters (Bronx, N.Y.) made the score 52-29 with 4:16 left, and an Ondya Morgan (New Brunswick, N.J.) free throw capped the scoring in the Jaspers' 57-36 triumph.
Roeder went 8-for-14 from the field and 5-for-9 from three-point range in the game. She added four rebounds and three assists. Herrington recorded 10 points and pulled down a team-high five rebounds to go along with four assists and three steals. Schyanne Halfkenny (Hyde Park, Mass.) finished with nine points, while Lindsey Loutsenhizer (North Huntingdon, Pa.) handed out three assists. As a team, the Jaspers shot 40 percent (20-of-50) from the field, 47.6 percent (10-of-21) from long range, and 58.3 percent (7-of-12) at the charity stripe.
"This was a really good all-around performance, both offensively and defensively," Olenowski said. "Defensively, we did a great job pressuring the ball, and we made it hard for Rider to get it inside. It was huge for us to win this game and get back on track."
Caitlin Bopp led the Broncs with 10 points. She added seven rebounds and three steals, while MyNeshia McKenzie just missed a double-double with nine points and nine boards. Carleigh Brown posted eight rebounds and five assists. Rider shot 34.1 percent (15-of-44) from the field and outrebounded Manhattan 38-28. The Broncs shot 20 percent (2-of-10) from three-point range and 50 percent (4-of-8) at the free throw line.
The Jaspers are back in action on Wednesday, when Iona (10-13, 6-6 MAAC) visits Draddy Gymnasium for a 7 p.m. matchup. It will be Manhattan's annual "Play 4 Kay" game for breast cancer awareness, and all fans are encouraged to come to the contest dressed in pink.
NOTES: Manhattan swept Rider for the second straight season and improved to 26-8 all-time against the Broncs...It was Roeder's first 20-point game since she tallied a career-high 35 against East Tennessee State on Nov. 19...Herrington's 10 points were a season-high...Halfkenny played in her 100th career game on Sunday, becoming the third Jasper to reach the mark this season, joining Loutsenhizer and Peters...The Jaspers held their opponent under 40 points for the third time this season and seventh time in Olenowski's tenure...Rider committed 26 turnovers, which the Jaspers converted into 26 points...Manhattan didn't trail in the game, marking the sixth time this season that the Jaspers led from start to finish...The Jaspers have won consecutive road games for the first time this season.
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