DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Jan. 2, 2020) – Despite a team-high 15 points from junior Amber Brown (South Brunswick, N.J./South Brunswick), the Mercy College women's basketball team opened 2020 with a 95-56 setback to No. 4/6 Saint Anselm College on Thursday afternoon at the Victory Hall Sports Center.
The Mavericks (6-7) have dropped four games in a row, while the Hawks (8-2) snap a two-game losing streak.
Brown added a team-high-tying eight rebounds. Senior Abigail Collier (Watertown, Conn./Watertown) recorded eight points and freshman Katie Wall (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) also netted eight points. Senior Destinee Hall (Spring Valley, N.Y./Keystone College) finished with seven points and a team-high-tying eight rebounds.
Saint Anselm was led by Shannon Ryan and Peyton Steinman who both had a game-high 22 points.
Mercy jumped out to a 9-8 lead at the 4:40 mark of the first quarter following two Brown free throws. The Hawks answered back on a 5-0 run to take a 13-9 lead with 2:30 left in the opening quarter. Saint Anselm held a 17-14 lead with 56 seconds left before Wall drained a layup with eight seconds on the clock to send the Mavericks into the second quarter down, 17-16, to the nationally-ranked Hawks.
The score was 19-18 in favor of the guests following a Hall layup at the 9:17 mark of the second quarter. Saint Anselm responded with an 11-1 run to increase the lead to 11, 30-19, with 6:35 left before halftime. A Kellie Nudd (Colchester, Conn./Bacon Academy) jumper cut the deficit to single digits, 32-23, with 4:38 remaining in the half, but the Hawks closed the half on a 15-0 run to head into halftime with a 47-23 lead.
Saint Anselm outscored the Mavericks 25-17 in the third quarter and 23-16 in the fourth quarter to pull away for the win.
Mercy shot 25.4 percent (18-of-71) from the floor, 30.0 percent (6-of-20) from downtown and 60.9 percent (14-of-23) from the foul line. Saint Anselm shot 48.6 percent (36-of-74) from the field, 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from beyond the arc and 78.9 percent (15-of-19) from the charity stripe. Saint Anselm held a 49-45 edge on the boards, 18-4 edge in points off turnovers and 50-20 edge in points in the paint.
Head Coach Scott Lagas and the Mavericks resume action on Sunday, January 5th when they play at Assumption at 3 p.m.
