Junior Kristen McWhirter led Stonehill with 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals tonight at Merrimack.

Merrimack Defeats Stonehill, 80-65

Benischek leads Warriors to victory with game-high 28 points, six assists

Boxscore 

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (February 9, 2010) - Merrimack College handed Stonehill College, among teams receiving votes in this week's USA Today/ESPN/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II poll and ranked third in the NCAA East Regional rankings, its fourth-straight defeat with an 80-65 setback in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at Volpe Gymnasium tonight.

Junior Sarah Benischek (Shrub Oak, N.Y./Lakeland) led Merrimack with a game-high 28 points (16 first half) on 9-of-15 shooting from the field, including 3-for-7 from three-point range, while converting 7-of-8 free-throws, to go with six assists, five rebounds and two steals. Sophomore Gennifer Roy (Granby, Mass./Granby) added 13 points (all first half), on 6-of-10 shooting, four rebounds, four assists and two steals, while junior Tiffany Colon (Lawrence, Mass./Lawrence) posted 12 points, six rebounds and three assists. Senior Casey Miller (Fairbanks, Alaska/West Valley) rounded out the Warriors double-figure scorers with ten points.

Junior Kristen McWhirter (Melvin Village, N.H./New Hampton Prep) led Stonehill with 13 points (nine first half), draining 2-of-3 three-pointers, to go with three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Junior Amanda Smith (Penacook, N.H./Merrimack Valley) added ten points, on 5-of-7 shooting from the field, four rebounds and two assists, while senior Megan Methven (Corning, N.Y./Corning East) chipped in nine points, on 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, in 13 minutes off the bench.

Merrimack finished shooting 49.1-percent (28-for-57) from the field, including 53.1% (17-32) in the first half to stake out a nine-point (42-33) halftime lead. The Warriors converted 17-of-20 (85%) free-throw attempts and posted a 35-27 rebounding advantage. Stonehill finished shooting 48.2% (27-56) from the field, including 50% (14-28) in the second half. The Skyhawks connected on 4-of-5 three-pointers in the opening 20-minutes, but made just 2-of-7 in the second half. They also went to the line just ten times, converting five attempts.

Junior Amanda Smith added ten points, four rebounds and two assists.

Stonehill held the early initiative, leading by six (18-12) after back-to-back Methven three's with 12:21 left in the first half. Merrimack answered with a 9-1 run to regain the lead (21-19) after a three-pointer from freshman Katie Ganser (Needham, Mass./Needham) with 8:40 left in the frame. The Skyhawks knotted the score at 21-21 with a layup from sophomore Tania Williams (South Setauket, N.Y./Ward-Melville), and then the Warriors reeled off a 9-0 spurt, capped by a jumper and three-pointer from Roy, to open a nine-point lead (30-21) with 5:37 to go in the half.

Stonehill closed within four (37-33) with a layup from Griffin with 56-second left before the break, but Merrimack scored the final five points of the half, capped by a Benischek three at the buzzer to carry a nine-point lead (42-33) into the lockerroom. The Warriors kept the momentum going into the second half, opening a 12-point (47-35) lead after a three-point play from Colon 51-seconds in.

Merrimack extended its lead to 17 (57-40) after a Colon three with 13:11 to play on their way to a game-high 22-point advantage (71-49) with 7:51 remaining after six-straight points from Benischek. Stonehill got back within 14 (75-61) after a Methven three with 2:05 left, but got no closer.

Stonehill (17-8, 12-6 NE-10) is back in action on Saturday when it hosts Saint Michael's College for its WBCA Pink Zone event at 1:30 p.m. Stonehill is one of over 1,600 schools and organizations committed to participating in Pink Zone initiative, a global, unified effort for the WBCA's nation of coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond. Stonehill will donate a portion of all tickets and programs sold to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer fund. Fans wearing pink to the games will be admitted free of charge. There will also be several giveaways conducted throughout the afternoon. Prizes include local merchant gift cards, Valentine's Day themed prizes from Stoneforge Grill as well as an iPod Touch. The Skyhawks will be wearing pink shoe laces and warm-ups.

Merrimack (9-14, 7-11 NE-10) visits the University of Massachusetts Lowell on Saturday at 2 p.m.