Box Score
Box Score
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Manhattan College women's basketball team had perhaps its best defensive effort of the season on Wednesday night, holding Fairfield to just 43 points. Unfortunately, however, the offense was never able to get going, as the Jaspers (2-21, 1-13 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) suffered a 43-26 loss to the Stags (11-13, 10-5 MAAC) at Alumni Hall.
It was a defensive struggle throughout, as neither team was able to get on the board until Fairfield got a three-pointer from Kristin Schatzlein nearly four minutes in. The Stags opened up a 9-4 lead midway through the first half before Kayla Grimme (Altoona, Pa.) sank back-to-back layups to pull the Jaspers within one, 9-8, at the 8:09 mark.
After Fairfield pushed its advantage to 13-10, Taylor Williams (Windsor, Conn.) hit a pair of layups to give Manhattan a 14-13 lead with 3:08 remaining before halftime. A pair of Casey Smith free throws put the Stags back in front, 15-14, but the Jaspers immediately regained the advantage when Ashley Stec (Cazenovia, N.Y.) hit a jumper on the other end. It remained 16-15 Manhattan for nearly two minutes until a Smith bucket just before halftime made it 17-16 Fairfield at intermission.
Manhattan regained the lead on Shayna Ericksen's (Long Valley, N.J.) jumper early in the second half, and the lead changed hands again when she hit a layup after a Smith basket to put the Jaspers on top 20-19 with 18:30 remaining. However, Manhattan would be held scoreless for the next 11:32, enabling Fairfield to open up a 38-20 cushion. After a Nyasha Irizarry (Brooklyn, N.Y.) layup halted the drought, the Stags got a three-pointer from Felicia DaCruz to open up their largest lead of the night, a 41-22 advantage. Fairfield ended up taking the contest by a 43-26 count, sending Manhattan to its 10th straight defeat.
Ericksen paced the Jaspers with six points and 11 rebounds. Stec grabbed eight boards and added four assists, while Grimme pulled down seven rebounds. Manhattan shot 26.1 percent (12-of-46) from the field and outrebounded Fairfield 40-32. The Jaspers were held without a three-pointer, going 0-for-9 from long range, and went just 2-for-9 (22.2 percent) at the free throw line.
Smith led all scorers with 16 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Kelsey Carey finished with 10 points and six boards, while Samantha Cooper also grabbed six rebounds for Fairfield. DaCruz, meanwhile, added seven points, five rebounds and three assists. The Stags shot 34 percent (16-of-47) from the floor, 17.6 percent (3-of-17) from three-point land, and 66.7 percent (8-of-12) at the charity stripe.
Up next, Manhattan visits Rider (8-16, 5-9 MAAC) at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Jaspers posted a 55-52 victory over the Broncs when the teams met at Draddy Gymnasium on Jan. 4.
NOTES: Fairfield is the most common opponent in program history…The Stags have now won seven straight against the Jaspers and lead the all-time series 43-36…Ericksen reached double-figures in rebounds for the eighth time this season…She pulled down her 500th career rebound in the contest, becoming just the 16th player in program history to reach that mark…Stec, who had made 18 consecutive free throws and 39 of her last 40 attempts dating back to last season, went 0-for-2 at the line…Manhattan was held without a three-point field goal for the first time since March 2, 2007, a span of 241 games…The Jaspers utilized their 15th different starting lineup of the season…Manhattan held its opponent under 50 points for the 44th time in Head Coach John Olenowski's tenure and the first time since a 50-41 win over Saint Peter's on Feb. 26, 2014.
