Emmanuel Tops Moravian, 91-81, in Consolation Game of Emmanuel Invitational
November 20, 2011

Emmanuel Tops Moravian, 91-81, in Consolation Game of Emmanuel Invitational

The Moravian College women's basketball team fell to host Emmanuel College, 91-81, in the consolation game of the 28th Annual Emmanuel College Invitational Sunday afternoon at the Jean Yawkey Center in Boston.

Box Score

The Moravian College women's basketball team fell to host Emmanuel College, 91-81, in the consolation game of the 28th Annual Emmanuel College Invitational Sunday afternoon at the Jean Yawkey Center in Boston.

The Saints, now 1-1 on the season, opened the scoring with a three-pointer form senior guard Meghan Kirwan while Moravian's first five points of the game came from the foul line as freshman forward Alexis Wright hitting a pair of free throws to cut Emmanuel's lead to 9-5. The Saints scored 27 of the next 33 points in the game including 12 from junior forward Fiona O'Dwyer, who scored a game high 28 points, to build a 36-11 lead.

Senior forward Alexandra Blair, who had a season high 23 points in the game, helped Moravian, 0-3 on the year, to a 15-4 run with nine points as the Greyhounds cut the Emmanuel lead to 40-26. Moravian sophomore guard Danielle Brogan hit four consecutive three-pointers to end the half including one at the buzzer as the Greyhounds' cut the Saints' lead to 48-38 at the intermission.

Emmanuel had a hot shooting hand in the first 20 minutes of the game as the Saints connected on 21 of 42 field goal attempts (50 percent) including a trio of three-pointers, and Emmanuel made three-of-four free throws. The Saints also had a 24-18 edge in rebounds at halftime, and Emmanuel had ten first half turnovers while forcing Moravian into 12 turnovers. The Greyhounds were 12-for-32 from the floor (37.5 percent), four-for-nine behind the three-point line and 10-for-13 at the foul line in the opening 20 minutes.

Wright opened the second half for the Greyhounds with a lay-up as Moravian cut the lead under ten points at 48-40 after trailing by 25 points. Emmanuel junior forward Laura Benvenuto hit a three-pointer to start a 12-0 run as the Saints would push their lead to 18 points at 66-48 after a lay-up from Kirwan. Emmanuel kept the lead in double figures for the rest of the game with it ranging from 14 to 19 points until the final minute when the Greyhounds closed within ten points after a lay-up and three-pointer by junior guard Katie Marakos.

The Saints continued their hot shooting in the second half, making 19-of-35 field goal attempts (54.3 percent) with two three-pointers and three-of-seven at the foul line. Emmanuel finished the game with a 55-32 advantage in rebounds, but the Saints did have 17 turnovers in the second half to finish with 27 for the game. Moravian was 16-for-41 from the floor (39 percent) with one three-pointer, and the Greyhounds were 10-for-14 at the foul line after the intermission. Moravian had just four turnovers in the second half for 16 in the game.

Blair, one of three Greyhounds in double figures, had four rebounds and three blocked shots to go with her 23 points. Brogan tossed in 14 points to go with three rebounds, two assists and two steals while sophomore guard Katie O'Rourke added 12 points, a team high eight rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals.

Wright had eight points and five rebounds in her first collegiate start while Marakos and sophomore guard Laura Casey each had five points. Casey added four assists, two rebounds and two steals while senior guard Hilary Murray had four points, four assists, four steals and two boards for Moravian. Sophomore guard Alyssa Hann had four steals and two points while sophomore forward Laura Jordan had four points.

O'Dwyer had 20 rebounds and three assists to go with her 28 points as Emmanuel had four players in double figures. Kirwan added 15 points, eight assists, four rebounds and two steals while senior guard/forward Breanna Ockimey tossed in 11 points. Benvenuto had ten points, four rebounds and three assists while freshman guard Britini Mikulanecz had seven points, four assists and four steals for the Saints.

The Greyhounds will return to action on Tuesday, November 22nd in a non-conference game at DeSales University in Center Valley starting at 6:00 p.m.