Junior Emily Rousseau was the lone Skyhawk in double-figures with 21 points to go with four rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Saint Rose Halts Stonehill, 71-56

Johnson double-double leads Golden Knight to win, snaps Skyhawks win streak

Boxscore 

ALBANY, N.Y. (January 30, 2010) - The College of Saint Rose shot 52-percent from the field in the second half to post a 71-56 victory over Stonehill College, among teams receiving votes in this week's USA Today/ESPN/Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (WBCA) Division II poll, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at Daniel P. Nolan Gymnasium this afternoon.

Sophomore Ali Johnson (Falls Church, Va./George C. Marshall) led Saint Rose with a double-double effort of 16 points and ten rebounds to go with four blocked shots and three assists. Classmate Ashley Rath (Victor, N.Y./Victor) led the Golden Knights with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, including 3-for-4 from three-point range, to go with three rebounds and three assists. Senior Elizabeth Buckley (East Lyme, Conn./East Lyme) registered 15 points on 4-of-9 shooting, 3-for-6 from beyond the arc, four rebounds and two steals. Junior Amy Voelkel (Mohegan Lake, N.Y./Lakeland) grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds to go with nine points, four assists, two blocks and two steals.

Junior Emily Rousseau (Biddeford, Maine/Biddeford) was the lone Stonehill player in double-figures with a game-high 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field, draining all three from three-point range, to go with four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Junior Kristen McWhirter (Melvin Village, N.H./New Hampton Prep) posted nine points and four rebounds, while senior Erin Gray (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) chipped in nine points, four boards and a blocked shot.

Saint Rose finished shooting 48.2-percent (27-for-56) from the field, including 52% (13-25) in the second half, while Stonehill connected on just 37.3% (22-59) of its shots from the field. The Golden Knights also dominated the glass with a 41-29 rebounding advantage, and buried 8-of-14 (57.1%) three-pointers, including 5-of-8 (62.5%) in the second half.

Stonehill led by five (17-12) after a layup by Gray with 9:16 left in the first half. Saint Rose used a 14-3 run to reverse the deficit into a six-point lead (26-20) after a put back by sophomore Ola Shajuyigbe (Albany, N.Y./Colonie) with 5:35 left before halftime. Rousseau answered with a three-pointer, but the Golden Knights pushed their lead into double-figures (33-23) with a 7-0 spurt, capped by two free-throws from Buckley with 2:55 to go in the frame.

Saint Rose settled for an eight-point (35-27) halftime lead and Stonehill drew within six (35-29) after a Gray layup to start the second half. The Golden Knights then reeled off an 11-4 run to take a 13-point (46-33) lead after a Rath three less than four minutes in.

Stonehil crept within seven (48-41) following two free-throws by junior Amanda Smith (Penacook, N.H./Merrimack Valley) with 12:18 to play, but Saint Rose regained its 13-point (54-41) cushion after another Shajuyigbe layup with 9:23 remaining.

A Rousseau three had Stonehill back within eight (58-50) with 5:45 remaining, but that would be as close as the Skyhawks would get as Saint Rose did enough at the line, converting 5-of-8 down the stretch to go with two big three's by Buckley and Rath, to keep its guests at bay.

Stonehill (17-5, 12-3 NE-10) is back in action on Wednesday when it hosts top-ranked and undefeated NE-10 leaders Franklin Pierce University at 5:30 p.m. It marks the College's second annual Super Bowl Giveaway Night, sponsored by Sodexo and Lifeskills, where students in attendance will have the opportunity to win a Super Bowl Party, courtesy of Sodexo, as well as a flat-screen television throughout the night. Details will be released on www.stonehillskyhawks.com on Monday.

Saint Rose (10-10, 9-6 NE-10) hosts Assumption College on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.