FINAL SCORE: Emmanuel 79 | Albertus Magnus 76
TEAM RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (11-8, 6-4) | Emmanuel (13-6, 9-1)
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Despite all five starters registering in double-figures, including a team-high 25 point-performance from junior Olivia Bolden (South Windsor, Conn.) , the Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team came up short, 79-76, against GNAC foe Emmanuel (Mass.) on Thursday evening at "The Nest."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Albertus and Emmanuel came out with fire in their eyes to start off the first as both teams went through two ties before Emmanuel rattled off a 6-0 run to extend its lead, 10-4. At the 3:29 mark, Jill Johnson (North Haven, Conn.) brought the Falcons to within one, 12-11, following two made free-throws. Both teams traded baskets and would close out the first with its third tie of the game, 16-16.
Over the next five minutes of play, Albertus continued to chip away at the visitors' lead as a layup from Angelina Piccirillo (Naugatuck, Conn.) tied the game for the fourth time, 29-29. Both teams continued to go head to head, but the Falcons would trail by one at the half, 41-40, despite trailing by six with 1:55 on the clock.
With 3:15 remaining in the third, Emmanuel took its largest lead of the game, 59-50, following two free throws from Jen Chalk. However, the Falcons closed out the quarter with an 11-4 run to bring the score to within two, 63-61.
It was an intense fourth quarter as the Falcons continued to threaten the Saints' lead at numerous occassions until two free-throws from Bolden cut the visitors' lead to two, 78-76. Emmanuel's Christine Miller went one-for-two at the line, extending the lead to three, 79-76, with less than 13 seconds remaining. Albertus was unable to get the final shot off and fell to the Saints in conference play.
FIRST HALF STATS
- Emmanuel out-shot the Falcons in the second quarter, 25-24, but the hosts out-rebounded the Saints 22-19 at the end of the half.
- Junior Olivia Bolden (South Windsor, Conn.) tallied 11 of the Falcons' 22 rebounds.
- In the first half, both teams went through two lead changes and six ties.
- Albertus held a 7-10 edge over the Saints in turnovers.
- In third and fourth quarter, Emmanuel out-scored Albertus by one point, 22-21 and 16-15, respectively.
- Albertus has an impressive third quarter, shooting 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from the floor.
- Both Albertus and Emmanuel collected six turnovers in the third compared to the fourth as the Falcons had two and the Saint had four.
- Jill Johnson (North Haven, Conn.) collected both of her blocks in the second half.
- The Falcons only lead of the night was at the 1:56 mark in the first quarter.
- Emmanuels' bench registered 24, including a 13-point performance from Kayla Weaver.
- Albertus dominated on defense forcing 20 turnovers while scoring 23 of its points off the visitors' errors.
- Bolden collected her 14th double-double of the season after posting 25 points and 14 rebounds.
- Liz Falcigno (Wallingford, Conn.) was the next Falcon to score in double-figures with 17 while Kiki Epps (Norwalk, Conn.) registered 12.
- Jill Johnson (North Haven, Conn.) and Angelina Piccirillo (Naugatuck, Conn.) rounded out the double-digit performers with 10 points a piece.
The Falcons return to action on Saturday, January 28 against Johnson & Wales.