Press Release

PURPLE KNIGHTS RALLY COMES UP SHORT IN 65-62 LOSS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      FOR MORE INFORMATION January 3, 2004                                                                         Contact: Seth Cole By Josh Kessler ’04                                                                   Phone: (802) 654-2537 COLCHESTER, Vt. – The Saint Michael’s College women’s basketball team nearly erased a late 17-point deficit before losing to Northeast-10 Conference rival University of Massachusetts Lowell, 65-62, at the Ross Sports Center on Saturday. UMass Lowell (7-4 overall, 3-3 NE-10) was led by junior Enjoli Edwards’ (Philadelphia, Pa./Central) 19 points. Senior Dragana Rabota (Zrenjanin, Serbia/Svetozar Miletic) contributed 17 points, including three three-pointers, off the bench, while sophomore Tammy Haulcy (Norristown, Pa./Morgan State) hit double figures with 11. Senior Sarah Udvardi (Budapest, Hungary/Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah, Wisc.) collected five boards, four points, three helpers, two blocks and a steal in 38 minutes on the floor. UMass Lowell shot only eight-of-17 from the charity stripe and committed 25 turnovers in the victory. Saint Michael’s senior Erica Kensey (Bow, N.H./Bow) collected team-highs with 16 points, seven boards and seven steals despite playing only 23 minutes due to foul trouble. Her totals include 12 points, seven rebounds and five steals in 14 second-half minutes alone. Sophomore Brigid Hegarty (North Andover, Mass./Central Catholic) had 12 points and three steals. Saint Michael’s (5-5, 2-5) shot only two-of-15 on three-pointers. The Purple Knights trailed 63-46 with 8:42 remaining before whittling the deficit to 65-62 with two minutes left. During SMC’s comeback, the River Hawks committed 10 turnovers and six fouls, and shot one-for-six from the field. However, the Purple Knights missed two layups in the final 1:30, and Hegarty’s half-court heave at the buzzer hit high off the backboard. Saint Michael’s second-half comeback was actually its second large one of the game, as the Purple Knights trailed 17-4 at the 13:25 mark before rallying to within 36-32 at halftime. During that initial comeback, seven players scored for the Purple Knights, including all eight points which freshman Jevy Rayner (Westminster, Vt./Bellows Falls Union) scored in the game. Rayner led the team in scoring at halftime. Kensey started the second half with four quick points, and Saint Michael’s trailed just 38-36 before the River Hawks pulled away. By 15:03, they led 49-36 and Kensey was sent to the bench at 11:48 with four fouls. She returned with less than seven minutes remaining and picked off four passes and scored six points down the stretch to aid the comeback effort. Rayner contributed two steals and a helper. The River Hawks next play on Tuesday at Le Moyne College. The Purple Knights hit the road on Tuesday for an NE-10 contest at Franklin Pierce College at 5:30 p.m. before returning home Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. matchup with Bentley College.  ###PURPLEKNIGHTS###

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