Kelly Schatzlein (Tolland, Conn.) and Sarah Benischek (Shrub Oak, N.Y.) each finished with 15 points to lead Merrimack. Tiffany Colon (Lawrence, Mass.) poured in 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
Schatzlein drained the Warriors’ first four buckets of the new season. Schatzlein layed in three straight baskets and then knocked down a midrange jumper.
A pair of three-pointers from co-captains Genn Roy (Granby, Mass.) and Benischek gave Merrimack an early 14-8 lead.
Midway through the first half, the Warriors owned a 21-17 edge on the scoreboard.
Benischek nailed a trey to tie the score at 31-31 with four minutes remaining in the opening half.
Merrimack trailed at the break 41-33. Schatzlein was the top scorer through the first 20 minutes of action with 12 points. The sophomore forward nearly set a new career high for field goals made after connecting on six of her nine attempts, which is a personal best. Benischek added 11 points and five assists for the Warriors in the opening half. Merrimack shot 40.6% from the field and 62.5% from behind the arc in the beginning stanza.
The Warriors cut the deficit to five early in the second half but Bentley kept up the pressure to prevent the visitors to gain a lead.
Down by 11 with two minutes left to play, Chelsea Shea (South Burlington, Vt.) intercepted a pass on defense and Taneka Brown (Lynn, Mass.) knocked down her first career three on the ensuing possession to draw the Warriors to within eight. The Falcons hit a three on the next play to restore the 11-point margin.
Bentley owned the advantage on the glass, pulling down 48 rebounds while Merrimack grabbed 40. The Warriors shot 36% from the floor in the game and 43% from three-point land. The Falcons drained 40% of their field goals in the contest and matched Merrimack’s 43% from downtown.
“We need to fix the small things moving forward,” head coach Helen Williams said. “It wasn’t the major things that hurt us tonight. I felt that we came out strong and we stuck with them but we just need to keep that intensity for the entire game.”
Merrimack returns to action in just two short days. The Warriors will play host to the Courtyard by Marriott Classic, welcoming three teams to North Andover for the event. Merrimack will take on Slippery Rock on the opening game. Admission is free for both days of the tournament.
- www.merrimackathletics.com -
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