Box Score
Box Score
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. – The Manhattan College women's basketball team got 16 points from Taylor Williams (Windsor, Conn.) and 13 from Nyasha Irizarry (Brooklyn, N.Y.) on Saturday afternoon, but it was not enough, as the Jaspers (2-16, 1-8 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) dropped a 59-51 decision to Siena (12-7, 5-5 MAAC) at the Alumni Recreation Center. That duo, along with Kayla Grimme (Altoona, Pa.) and Mikki Guiton (Schwenksville, Pa.) combined to score 45 points in the contest.
Williams and Irizarry each sank four three-pointers, as the Jaspers went 8-for-15 (53.3 percent) from downtown one game after hitting just one trey against Quinnipiac. Grimme ended up with nine points, eight rebounds and three blocks, while Guiton tallied seven points. Jacqui Thompson (Southampton, Pa.) handed out five assists for Manhattan, which shot 39.5 percent (17-of-43) from the field and 75 percent (9-of-12) at the free throw line.
“Our freshmen did a great job today,” Head Coach John Olenowski. “They really stepped up and gave us a chance to win. Unfortunately, we came up just a bit short, which has sort of been the story of the season.”
Manhattan took a 6-3 lead on three-pointers by Williams and Irizarry before Siena went on a 9-0 run to go up 12-6. After a Williams three brought the Jaspers back within one, 18-17, with 9:19 remaining before halftime, the Saints responded with a 10-3 rally to open up an eight-point advantage, 28-20. Irizarry hit a trey to cut the deficit to five, but Manhattan would be held scoreless over the final 3:10 of the first half, and the Saints went into the locker room with a 30-23 cushion.
A Williams trey at the 16:01 mark pulled the Jaspers within three at 35-32. However, Siena countered with a 16-5 run to open up its largest lead of the game, a 51-37 advantage with 7:51 remaining. A Guiton layup started Manhattan's comeback attempt, and the Jaspers cut the margin to six, 57-51, with 1:19 to go. Manhattan would pull no closer, though, as Tehresa Coles hit two late free throws to cap the scoring in Siena's 59-51 victory.
“Every time we got close, it seemed like Siena caused a turnover or hit a big shot,” Olenowski said. “We just couldn't get over the hump. But I'm proud of our effort and the way we fought back.”
Margot Hetzke had a double-double for the Saints, finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Coles also tallied 18 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists, while Symone Kelly added 10 points. Ida Krogh contributed eight points and Kollys Scarbrough grabbed seven boards, as Siena outrebounded Manhattan 41-19. The Saints shot 42 percent (21-of-50) from the floor, 27.8 percent (5-of-18) from long range, and 75 percent (12-of-16) at the charity stripe.
After playing two straight on the road, the Jaspers return to Draddy Gymnasium on Monday night for a 7 p.m. battle with first-place Quinnipiac (17-3, 9-0 MAAC). It will be the second meeting between the squads in eight days. The Bobcats recorded an 85-51 win in Connecticut on Jan. 18.
NOTES: The game was broadcast by Time Warner Cable Sports Channel and will be aired Sunday morning on tape delay…It was the Jaspers' first television appearance since last season's victory over the Saints at the Times Union Center that was broadcast on ESPN3…Siena has won two straight against Manhattan and leads the all-time series 39-20…It was the Jaspers' first visit to the Alumni Recreation Center since Feb. 17, 2012…The teams played at the Times Union Center, site of this season's MAAC Tournament, in each of the past two years…Grimme made her first start since Dec. 19, as Manhattan utilized its 13th different starting lineup this season…Manhattan didn't have a double-digit rebounder for the first time since the Rider game on Jan. 4…Williams finished with exactly 16 points for the second straight game…Irizarry fouled out for the first time in her career…Former Jasper Alyssa Herrington, who currently lives in the Albany area, was in attendance.
