Merrimack Outlasts Stonehill for 86-79 Triple OT Victory

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.- The Merrimack women’s basketball team clinched its first Northeast-10 Conference victory of the 2010-11 season. The Warriors downed Stonehill 86-79 in triple overtime Tuesday evening at Volpe Gym. Merrimack moves to 2-2 on the year and 1-1 in the league. The Skyhawks fall to 4-2 overall and 0-2 in t he conference.

Tiffany Colon (Lawrence, Mass.) posted a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Sarah Benischek (Shrub Oak, N.Y.) contributed 17 points and pulled down six boards for the Warriors.

The first half ended the same way that it began as Kelly Schatzlein (Tolland, Conn.) converted a layup. Schatzlein opened the period with a lay-in to give the home team a quick 2-0 edge. The sophomore cut Merrimack’s deficit to just one point with another bucket in the waning minutes of the half. The Warriors trailed the Skyhawks 27-26 after the first 20 minutes of action.

Colon paced Merrimack at the break with nine points while Benischek did a little bit of everything in the first stanza with three points, three boards and three assists. The Warriors out-rebounded Stonehill in the first half, pulling down 20 rebounds compared to 18 by the visitors.

 With five minutes remaining in regulation, Merrimack held a slight lead at 50-48. The Skyhawks knotted the score and went ahead 54-52 with 3:20 left to play. Colon scored a layup to tie the game at 56-56 with under two minutes remaining.

Stonehill missed two free throws and Colon had a chance to win the game but her layup rattled out, sending the game to overtime.

In the first overtime period, Chelsea Shea (South Burlington, Vt.) knocked down a three pointer before the shot clock could expire to give the home team a five point lead.

Stonehill evened the score with two seconds on the clock to force a second overtime on a jumper by Tania Williams.

In the closing seconds of the second extra session, the Skyhawks looked as though they were going to have an easy lay-in for the win. Taneka Brown (Lynn, Mass.) hustled back and denied the layup, seding the game to a third overtime period.

In the third portion of bonus basketball, Merrimack used its free throw shooting to seal the game.

Merrimack shot 39% from the field in the game while Stonehill shot 35%. The Skyhawks held the edge on the glass, 56-53, for the entire contest.

The Blue and Gold return to action on December 1 as it ventures up to Rindge, N.H., to take on Franklin Pierce.
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