Junior Emily Rousseau scored 12 of her team-high 18 points in the second half in tonight's win at Assumption.

Stonehill Keeps Rolling at Assumption, 81-68

Upperclassmen power Skyhawks to fifth-straight win

Boxscore 

WORCESTER, Mass. (January 12, 2010) - Stonehill College, among teams receiving votes in this week's USA Today/ESPN/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II poll, notched its fifth-straight win behind another strong second half performance in posting an 81-68 victory over Assumption College in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at Laska Gymnasium tonight.

Stonehill placed four upper-class starters in double-figures in a balanced offensive output. Junior Emily Rousseau (Biddeford, Maine/Biddeford) led the Skyhawks with 18 points (12 second half) as she connected on 2-of-4 three-pointers and converted all six free-throw attempts to go with four rebounds and three assists. Senior Kelsey Simonds (Middleboro, Mass./Cardinal Spellman) added 16 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the floor, a game-high eight rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot, while classmate Megan Methven (Corning, N.Y./Corning East) contributed a season-high 16 points on 4-of-9 shooting, including 3-for-5 from three-point range, while draining 5-of-7 free-throws to go with four rebounds and two assists. Junior Kristen McWhirter (Melvin Village, N.H./New Hampton Prep) rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points, draining 3-of-6 three's, seven assists, four boards and two steals. Senior Erin Gray (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) chipped in with eight points, seven boards and five assists.

Freshman Gabrielle Gibson (Amityville, N.Y./Copiague) led Assumption with a season-high 21 points, on 7-of-17 shooting from the field, adding three rebounds and three steals. Senior Kayla Parker (Sanford, Maine/Sanford) added 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, four rebounds and two blocked shots. Freshman Katy Howard (Medway, Mass./Medway) chipped in with 13 points, three rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Senior Kelsey Simonds posted 18 points and a game-high eight rebounds tonight.

Stonehill finished shooting 43.9-percent (29-for-66) from the field, including 50-percent (8-for-16) from three-point range. The Skyhawks dominated the glass with a 40-28 rebounding advantage, including a 20-18 edge on its offensive end, while limiting Assumption to just ten offensive boards. The Skyhawks also converted 15-of-17 (88.2%) free-throws in the second half. Assumption shot 44.2-percent (23-for-52) from the field, but just 5-for-16 (31.3%) from beyond the arc.

Stonehill led the entire first half, but Assumption scored the first three points of the second half to take its first lead (37-36) after a layup and free-throw from Gibson on back-to-back possessions. The Skyhawks reeled off a quick 12-0 run to regain the lead and push it into double-figures for the first time (50-39) after a McWhirter three with 14:56 to play.

Assumption was hindered by a nine-minute stretch without a field goal until senior Meg Cook (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) ended the drought with a three-pointer with 9:38 left after another quick Stonehill burst pushed its lead to 18 (61-43) after back-to-back jumpers from senior Stephanie Pintal (Nashua, N.H./Nashua South).

Assumption drew within 11 (68-57) after a Gibson layup off her own steal with 4:01 to play, but that would be as close as the Greyhounds would get as the Skyhawks went to work at the free-throw line by converting its final ten free-throw attempts from there, including six from Rousseau, to seal the victory.

Stonehill (13-4, 8-2 NE-10) is back in action Saturday when it hosts the University of New Haven in NE-10 play in Merkert Gymnasium at 1:30 p.m. Assumption (9-6, 6-4 NE-10) visits Bentley University on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.