Riverdale, N.Y. (February 9, 2007)?Fairfield used a late second half run to rally past the Lady Jaspers for a 59-49 win Friday night at Draddy Gymnasium. Sabra Wrice led all scorers with 15 points, while Baendu Lowenthal chipped in 12 points as the Stags improve to 9-4 in the MAAC and 13-11 overall. Manhattan falls to 4-9 in MAAC play and 7-17 overall.
In a game that was a tale of halves, Manhattan shot a scorching 57.7 percent in the first half and led by as much as 10 points. But in the second half, the Lady Jaspers struggled from the field as Fairfield was able to pull away late.
The Lady Jaspers began the contest much the same way they played the first meeting against Fairfield, with a hot shooting touch. Manhattan shot 56 percent at Fairfield last week, and early on tonight they displayed the same accuracy from the field. The home side knocked down 9 of their first 14 shots en route to a 22-12 lead, their largest of the game, with 12:42 remaining in the half.
While Manhattan kept up the hot shooting throughout the half, Fairfield chipped away at their deficit with the long ball, knocking down 5-9 from behind the arc. Wrice knocked down a three with 41 seconds left that cut Manhattan's lead to just one point at 37-36.
To start the second half, Manhattan took a 41-36 lead on jumpers by Gabrielle Cottrell and Jenna Franciosa, but Fairfield answered with a 5-0 run to tie the score. After the teams traded baskets, Fairfield's Tara Flaherty hit a jumper to give the Stags a 45-43 lead, their first since leading 2-0. A basket by Manhattan's Vanessa Davison tied the score at 45 with 9:23 to play, but from that point, Fairfield went on a 14-4 run to close out the game as the Lady Jaspers went ice cold from the field.
Despite the cold shooting down the stretch, a jumper by Caitlin Flood got Manhattan to within six points at 55-49 with 2:53 to play, but Lowenthal answered with a basket of her own to help hold off a potential rally.
Flood was Manhattan's high scorer with nine points, while three Lady Jaspers, Kelly Regan, Davison, and Cottrell contributed eight points.
The Lady J's return to action Sunday when they take on Saint Peter's at Draddy Gym in the first game of a double-header with the men. Tip-off is set for 12:00 p.m.
