Press Release

SMC WOMEN, FRANKLIN PIERCE WIN AT CLARION TIP OFF CLASSIC FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      FOR MORE INFORMATION November 20, 2004                                                                    Contact: Seth Cole                                                                                                 Phone: (802) 654-2537 COLCHESTER, Vt. – Saint Michael’s College and Franklin Pierce College recorded season-opening victories on Saturday in opening-day action at the Clarion Tip Off Classic at the Ross Sports Center. The host Purple Knights edged Saint Thomas Aquinas College in double-overtime in the nightcap, 82-78, while Franklin Pierce won the opener versus Dowling College, 88-50. In the second half of the doubleheader, junior Brigid Hegarty (North Andover, Mass./Central Catholic) tallied a career-high 34 points and 10 rebounds as Saint Michael’s won its season opener. Freshman Adrienne Carpenter (Princeton, Mass./Wachusett Regional) came off the bench to notch 13 points and 10 rebounds in her collegiate debut, and sophomore Dani Rayner (Westminster, Vt./Bellows Falls Union) added 14 points before fouling out. For the Spartans, senior Brittney Thomas (Ossining, N.Y.) scored 27 points off the bench, while junior Kelly McManus (Pearl River, N.Y.) chipped in 14 points and nine rebounds. Freshman Erika Ostrove (Cresskill, N.J.) added 11 points for STAC (0-1). Saint Michael’s appeared to have clinched the victory in regulation, as the Purple Knights held their biggest lead of the contest, 64-55, with less than two minutes remaining. However, STAC closed the second half with a 12-3 run, and had two shots in the final six seconds that would have sealed the win. In the first overtime, Hegarty’s two free throws with 21 seconds left tied the game at 73, and after a Spartans turnover, Hegarty’s desperation three at the buzzer fell short. In the second overtime, however, a Hegarty 3-pointer with 4:06 to go gave the Purple Knights the lead for good, and her two free throws with six seconds left sealed the victory. In the first game of the classic, Franklin Pierce outscored Dowling 49-22 in the second half to cruise to the season-opening win. Five Ravens scored in double figures, led by sophomore Danielle D’Ettorre’s (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario) 21 points. Sophomore Mollie Stelmack (New Westminster, British Columbia) added 20 points, freshman Josie Lidke (Chaska, Minn.) netted 14 points, junior Maria Clifton (New York, N.Y.) posted 12 points and eight boards, and junior Heather Jacobs (Stoughton, Mass.) scored 10. For Dowling (0-2), senior Laura Mullally (Athlone, Ireland) had 12 points, while freshman Kristina Mitchell (Streamwood, Ill.) netted 10. The Clarion Tip Off Classic concludes on Sunday, as Franklin Pierce and Saint Thomas Aquinas square off at 1 p.m., followed by Saint Michael’s and Dowling at 3 p.m.  ###PURPLEKNIGHTS###

For more information please contact the SMC Sports Information Office at (802) 654-2537
Last Revised: October 25, 2002