NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (February 1, 2025) – Stonehill College women's basketball dropped a Northeast Conference battle at Central Connecticut State University, 71-59 at the Detrick Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.
 
Leaders

Sophomore Brooke Paquette (Hudson, N.H.) led Stonehill in scoring and assists with 18 points while dishing out seven dimes. Paquette went 7-for-17 from the field and 3-of-5 from deep while chipping in six rebounds, one block, and one steal in 37 minutes.
 
Graduate student Kylie Swider (Portsmouth, R.I.) posted her team-leading seventh double-double, scoring 10 points and corralling a game-high 11 rebounds. This was Swider's tenth double-digit rebounding performance of the season.
 
Senior Sharn Hayward (Penguin, Tasmania) added 15 points and three rebounds, knocking down four three-pointers for the 10th time this season.

Graduate guard Belle Lanpher led Central Connecticut with 26 points on 7-of-16 shooting to go with three rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Redshirt Freshman Selina Monestime added 16 points on 8-of-14 shooting in 31 minutes off the bench for the Blue Devils.
 
How it Happened

Paquette came out the gate firing, scoring 10 first-quarter points, while freshman Sydney McLaughlin (Hanover, N.H.) broke a 15-15 tie at the buzzer with a stepback three to give the Skyhawks an 18-15 edge over the Blue Devils after one.
 
An 8-0 run early in the second quarter, capped off by a Hayward three-pointer, gave Stonehill its largest lead of the game, 28-17, but CCSU continued to answer, pulling back within five points, 33-28, with just seconds left on the clock. Another buzzer-beater for the Skyhawks, this time from Swider, sent Stonehill into the break with a 38-25 halftime advantage. Paquette led the way with 14 first-half points.
 
The Skyhawk lead reached nine on multiple occasions in the third quarter, with Hayward and Paquette propelling the Skyhawk offense.
 
Stonehill entered the fourth quarter with a 48-43 lead, but a 12-0 Central Connecticut run catapulted the Blue Devils to a seven-point lead, 55-48. The Skyhawks closed the deficit to four points on multiple occasions, but the deficit proved to be too much in the end. Central Connecticut outscored Stonehill 28-11 in the final quarter, securing the 71-59 win in league play Saturday afternoon.

Noteworthy

• Swider scored in double-figures for the seventh straight game and 14th time this season, collecting double-digit rebounds for the 10th time as she recorded her seventh double-double of the season.
• Paquette's 18 points were the most for her since she posted a career-high of 26 against Mercyhurst on January 2 at Merkert Gym. This marks Paquette's 12th game with 10+ points for the Skyhawks this year.
• Senior Maureen Stapleton (Spring Lake Heights, N.J.) recorded double-digit rebounds for the fifth time this season, grabbing 10 in 35 minutes to go with five points and five assists.
• Hayward scored in double-figures for the 30th time in her career and team-leading 18th time this season as she's scored at least 10 points in 13 of the last 14 contests.
• Stonehill held a 45-38 rebounding advantage over CCSU and had 17 assists on 22 made baskets.

Up Next

• Stonehill women's basketball (9-12, 5-3 NEC) returns home on Saturday, February 8, to host LIU (5-17, 2-7 NEC) for its Alumnae Day Game at Merkert Gym at 2 p.m.

 
Tickets for home Stonehill basketball games can be purchased in advance online at stonehillskyhawks.com/tickets.

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