Standish, Maine – The Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team fell on the road to Saint Joseph's (Maine), 70-54, on Saturday afternoon in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action at the Harold Alfond Center.
The Falcons (4-4, 1-1 GNAC) dropped their third straight game outside of New Haven, while the Monks (5-1, 2-0 GNAC) won their fourth game in a row.
Junior forward Olivia Bolden (South Windsor, Conn.) led the charge for Albertus Magnus with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field. Bolden also hit three shots from the free-throw line to go along with nine rebounds, one steal and one block. Sophomore guard Jill Johnson (North Haven, Conn.) was the other Falcon in double figures with 12 points. The three other AMC starters all netted seven or more points.
Four Saint Joseph's players scored in double figures led by sopohmore guard Kelsi McNamara with a game-high 16 points and five assists. McNamara hit six shots from the field to go along with two rebounds and two steals. Senior guard Abbie Eastman poured in 12 points thanks hitting a trio of three-pointers. Eastman also dished out five dimes in the game. The frontcourt tandem of junior Regan McFarren and sophomore Hannah Marks combined for 22 points. Both players netted 11 points and Marks provided a spark off the bench for the Monks with a double-double thanks to pulling down 10 boards.
After the early minutes of the game, Saint Joseph's never trailed. Albertus Magnus scored on its first possesion of the game and the Monks responded with a 10-0 run over the next six minutes. During the spurt, AMC missed nine shots and SJC forced a quartet of Falcon turnovers. Albertus Magnus would pull back within four at 14-10 courtesy of a basket by Johnson before the hosts scored the final four points of the frame.
The Falcons played much stronger in the second quarter, shooting 41.1 percent (7-of-17) from the field and forcing seven Monk turnovers. Albertus Magnus outscored Saint Joseph's, 19-15, in the frame to trail by just four at 33-29 at the break. AMC had a balanced attack in the stanza with three players scoring four points apiece.
The hosts boke open a close game by outscoring the visitors, 22-10, in the third quarter. The Monks to their largest lead of the game at 19 following a three from McNamara with 3:24 left. In the third, the stout Saint Joseph's defense held the Falcons to just 23.5 percent (4-of-17) shooting.
In the fourth quarter, the Monks held off the Falcons to win their second consecutive league contest.
Albertus Magnus continued to struggle shooting from beyond the arc, hitting just 1-of-18 attemtps, while the Monks hit eight shots from deep. SJC also held a large advantage in second-chance points, outscoring the Falcons, 19-4.
Albertus Magnus returns to action on Tuesday, December 6, with a home non-conference clash against Pine Manor that is set to get underway at 5:00 pm. The Falcons have won four straight against the Gators, taking the last meeting, 100-89, in December of 2013.
For the latest information on the women's basketball team and Albertus Magnus athletics, follow AMCAthletics on Twitter and visit AlbertusFalcons.com.
