Dec. 22, 2007

Box Score

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Junior Kim Etol (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Aly Young (Lodi, Calif.) combined for 36 off the bench and senior Dana Ferraro (Middlesex, N.J.) had 16 but it was not enough as Northeastern held off the Stony Brook women's basketball team, 82-69 at the Cabot Center on Saturday afternoon. The Seawolves are now 4-7 on the season while Northeastern is 5-4.

"We missed a lot of layups in the early going and ultimately it hurt us," head coach Michele Cherry said. "I liked our effort in the second half and the fact we didn't go quietly. Kim and Aly played a strong game for us and it will help us going into next week's game against Rhode Island.

Northeastern would jump out to an early 8-2 lead three minutes into the game and extended the lead to 10 after nine early points from Lucia Pablos. 23 percent shooting hurt the Seawolves in the first half as conversely, Northeastern shot 7-12. Freshman Jodie Plikus (Waterford, Conn.) would end Stony Brook's scoring drought when she drained a three-pointer from the left side to cut the early deficit to eight. Northeastern would miss three of its next four shots and Etol (Las Vegas, Nev.) three-pointer helped the Seawolves get within five. A quick 7-0 run from the Huskies got the lead back up to 12 before two free throws from Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.) stopped the spurt.

14 points from Pablos would be the key for Northeastern in the first half including a three with under a minute. 17 bench points led by Etol's eight was the high for Stony Brook as it trailed 40-27 at the half.

Etol would continue to energize Stony Brook as she hit a three on the first possession of the half. A Husky turnover and a three-pointer from Young (Lodi, Calif .) cut the lead to just 40-33.

Three threes from Ashlee Feldman and a three-point play from Kendra Walton got the lead back up to 53-35 and the Huskies biggest of the game.

Senior Dana Ferraro (Middlesex, N.J.) scored the next 12 of the next 14 points for Stony Brook and it forced three turnovers on the defensive end to get lead within 13. A three from Young would cut the Northeastern lead to just nine with just over four minutes remaining in the game before Shaleyse Smallwood hit a jumper from just outside the key to get the Huskies' lead back up to 11.

A tip-in from Ferraro with 58 seconds left in the game and an Young runner would get the game within eight but a combined eight free throws from Smallwood and Pablos helped Northeastern hold on for an 82-69 win.

Young's 21 was the second game in a row she set a career-high and was named America East player of the game. Etol's 15 points were also a career-high.

Northeastern was led by Pablos' 24 points. Smallwood added 18.

Stony Brook is off for the Christmas break before competing in the Christmas City Classic hosted by Lehigh University. Up first for the Seawolves is Rhode Island. Tip-off against the Rams is set for 1 pm on December 29.