Box Score
Click here to view the 2011-12 Manhattan Women's Basketball Yearbook
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - Siena's Maja Gerlyng missed a potential game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Manhattan College women's basketball team (11-11, 5-5 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) a 56-53 triumph over the Saints (6-14, 4-7 MAAC) at Draddy Gymnasium on Thursday night. The victory, Manhattan's second straight, was Head Coach John Olenowski's 50th win at the helm of the Jaspers.
"I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have this job," Olenowski said. "Those 50 wins are a testament to the great players we've had here. I'm just lucky to be a part of it."
The Jaspers led 55-45 with 3:36 remaining, but an 8-0 Siena run, capped by a Cristina Centeno three-pointer, brought the Saints within two, 55-53, at the 1:04 mark. After a Manhattan turnover, Gerlyng missed a trey with 29 seconds left and Toni-Ann Lawrence (Elmont, N.Y.) grabbed the rebound for the Jaspers. However, Siena got the ball back on another Jaspers turnover and used its final timeout with 24 seconds to go. The Saints never got a shot off, though, as Lawrence stole the ball with eight seconds left and handed it off to Maggie Blair (Briarcliff, N.Y.), who was immediately fouled. Blair went 1-for-2 at the line with seven seconds left, forcing Siena to go for three on the final possession. Gerlyng fired a shot from the left wing, but it was off the mark, and Manhattan held on for the 56-53 win.
"We knew they were dangerous and they have some good shooters. They made it very hard for us to win this basketball game," Olenowski said about Siena. "When you play a game like this, when you find a way to win, that's the important thing."
Manhattan scored the first seven points of the contest before Siena rallied to take a 10-7 lead. The Jaspers tied it on a trey by Schyanne Halfkenny (Hyde Park, Mass.) midway through the first half, and another Halfkenny three put Manhattan back in front, 13-12, at the 9:11 mark. After a Nadia Peters (Bronx, N.Y.) foul shot gave the Jaspers a two-point lead, the Saints went on a 5-0 run to go up 17-14. However, Manhattan ended the half on an 11-2 run and took a six-point advantage into the locker room after Monica Roeder (Marlton, N.J.) drained a trey to make it 25-19.
A Halfkenny layup to start the second half pushed Manhattan's lead to eight, 27-19, but Siena responded with a 10-3 run to get back within one, 30-29, with 16:22 remaining. After a Lawrence layup and a three-pointer by Alyssa Herrington (Cambridge, N.Y.) brought the lead back to six, the Saints rallied for six straight points to tie the game at 35-35.
Lindsey Loutsenhizer (North Huntingdon, Pa.) hit a layup at the 9:32 mark to break a 38-38 deadlock and spark a 15-5 Jaspers run over the next five minutes. A free throw by Ashley Stec (Cazenovia, N.Y.) gave Manhattan a 55-45 advantage with 3:36 remaining, but the Jaspers were held without a field goal the rest of the way. Siena went on an 8-0 run after Stec's free throw, setting the stage for the dramatic final minute.
Halfkenny led the Jaspers with 13 points, while Loutsenhizer added 12 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Roeder contributed nine points and tied a career-high with eight boards, as the Jaspers outrebounded the Saints 33-31. Lawrence notched seven points and three steals, and Peters tallied five rebounds. Blair handed out a team-high four assists in 23 minutes off the bench. The Jaspers shot 37 percent (20-of-54) from the field, 30 percent (6-of-20) from downtown and 66.7 percent (10-of-15) at the line.
Lily Grenci tallied a game-high 14 points and eight rebounds for Siena. Clara Sole Anglada posted 13 points and eight rebounds, while Centeno had 12 points and three assists. Tehresa Coles contributed five assists and four steals, and Kanika Cummings registered eight points and three assists off the bench. Siena shot 43.5 percent (20-of-46) from the field, including 27.8 percent (5-of-18) from long range, and 72.7 percent (8-of-11) at the charity stripe.
The Jaspers continue their three-game homestand on Saturday afternoon when they host first-place Marist (15-6, 10-0 MAAC) at 4:30 p.m. in the National MAAC Game of the Week. The matchup will be broadcast live on ESPN3, and is the opener of a Manhattan basketball doubleheader. Following the women's game, the Jasper men's team hosts Iona at 7 p.m. in a battle for first place in the MAAC.
NOTES: Olenowski reached 50 wins faster than any other coach in program history, doing it in his 86th game...He becomes the fifth coach to earn 50 wins at the helm of the Manhattan women's program...Manhattan has won two straight against Siena...The Saints lead the all-time series 32-19...Manhattan outrebounded its opponent for the fifth time this season and the first time since Jan. 22...It was Manhattan's first win this season by fewer than nine points...The Jaspers celebrated "National Girls & Women In Sports Day" on Thursday...The contest was the opener of a Manhattan basketball doubleheader, as the men's team took on Marist following the women's game.
To follow Manhattan Athletics on Twitter, go to twitter.com/GoJaspers or visit Manhattan's Facebook fan page.
