Press Release

SMC WOMEN, FRANKLIN PIERCE GO 2-0 AT CLARION TIP OFF CLASSIC FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      FOR MORE INFORMATION November 21, 2004                                                                    Contact: Seth Cole                                                                                                 Phone: (802) 654-2537 COLCHESTER, Vt. – Saint Michael’s College and Franklin Pierce College each won for the second straight day on Sunday to conclude play at the Clarion Tip Off Classic at the Ross Sports Center. The host Purple Knights bested Dowling College in the finale, 87-62, while Franklin Pierce defeated Saint Thomas Aquinas College in the opener, 93-44. In the nightcap, Tournament MVP Brigid Hegarty (North Andover, Mass./Central Catholic) notched a game-high 25 points, connecting on 7-of-11 3-pointers, as the Purple Knights rallied from a 36-31 halftime deficit. Sophomore Dani Rayner (Westminster, Vt./Bellows Falls Union) added 17 points, including 11-of-12 free throws, while freshmen Katie Barthelmes (Contoocook, N.H./Hopkinton) and Allison Dunn (Wippany, N.J./Morris Catholic) added 12 and 10 points, respectively, for Saint Michael’s (2-0). For Dowling (0-3), senior Laura Mullally (Athlone, Ireland) netted 18 points, while junior Lorren Galloway (Marietta, Ga.) chipped in with 12 points and eight rebounds. Dowling dictated the tempo early, as the visitors held Saint Michael’s scoreless for more than four minutes late in the opening period as part of a 30-15 run. Dowling took its biggest lead, 36-28, in the final minute of the first half. Saint Michael’s still trailed by eight, 43-35, when Dunn’s 3-pointer with 16:29 remaining sparked a 35-7 run over the next 10 minutes that effectively sealed the victory. Hegarty drained five 3-pointers in the decisive stretch, as Dowling shot just 23.7 percent from the field in the second half, compared to 62.5 percent for the Purple Knights. In the first game of the day, Franklin Pierce (2-0) shot 59.7 percent from the field in cruising to victory. Sophomore Mollie Stelmack (New Westminster, British Columbia) led a balanced scoring attack with 21 points and six assists, while classmate Danielle D’Ettorre (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario) added 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Freshman Josie Lidke (Chaska, Minn.) netted 16 points, and juniors Maria Clifton (New York, N.Y.) and Heather Jacobs (Stoughton, Mass.) each notched 11 points and six rebounds. For Saint Thomas Aquinas (0-2), freshman Erika Ostrove (Cresskill, N.J.) had a team-high 12 points and three steals, while junior Kelly McManus (Pearl River, N.Y.) added 10 points. Saint Michael’s returns to action on Tuesday, as the Purple Knights visit University of the Sciences in Philadelphia for a 6 p.m. start. The Purple Knights next home contest is Dec. 4 versus Northeast-10 Conference rival Merrimack College at 3:30 p.m.  ###PURPLEKNIGHTS###

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