Huge second half leads Lyons to 69-42 triumph over Smith

February 3, 2007

NORTON, MA- Wheaton College outscored Smith College, 41-17 in the second half Saturday afternoon, and the hosts collected their fifth consecutive victory with a 69-42 decision in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's basketball action at Emerson Gymnasium.

The first-place Lyons picked up their 11th win in 12 games to improve to 15-6 overall and 8-1 in the conference, while the Pioneers fell to 2-18 and 1-8. Wheaton is just three wins shy of matching the program's fourth-highest total set in each the 1992-93 and 1995-96 seasons, while its eight league wins are the most in school history.

Smith and Wheaton traded jumpers and three-pointers for a 5-5 tie at 17:36 of the opening half. Three additional ties ensued at seven, nine and 11 before sophomore Jennie Pleat (Nashua, NH/Nashua South) gave the Lyons the lead for good with a long-range jumper just inside the three-point arc with 13:26 to play. Consecutive threes and a lay-up from classmate Bri Smith (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) followed by a trey from senior Samara Audet (Derry, NH/Trinity) capped a 13-0 host run for a 24-11 lead at 9:18.

Wheaton held the Pioneers without a basket for over six minutes until freshman Lisa Marie Vuono (Lyndhurst, NJ/Montclair Kimberley Academy) knocked down a jumper with 8:17 showing on the clock. The Vuono jumper was the beginning of a 12-0 Pioneer stretch that spanned 3:16 to bring the visitors within one, as Smith kept the Lyons off the board for 6:21. Junior Becky Aitchison (Norwalk, CT/Trinity Catholic) ended the drought with a lay-in at 2:55 for a 26-23 Wheaton edge. A basket by each team left the halftime score at 28-25, with Smith leading the Blue and White with 11 points and Vuono pacing the Pioneers with 12.

Smith continued her offensive assault in the second half with her fourth three of the game at 16:38 to give the hosts a 31-27 edge. Seven straight Lyon points spearheaded by sophomore Krystin Hickey's (Manchester, NH/New Hampton School) personal 5-0 run provided Wheaton with a 38-29 lead with 15:01 left. Up 38-31, the Lyons used a game-clinching 25-5 run during an 8:49 stretch and held a 63-36 advantage with under five minutes to go. Senior Kim McCormack (Milton, MA/Milton) and freshman Jenny Champney (Bedford, MA/Bedford) each had six points in that span.

The Blue and White shot 54.8 percent from the floor and 50.0 percent on its three-point attempts in the second half while holding Smith to 30.0 percent shooting and just six field goals. Fourteen of Wheaton's 17 second-half field goals were assisted, as the Lyons turned 13 Pioneer turnovers in the stanza into several fast-break opportunities.

Ten different Wheaton players got into the scoring column, led by Smith's 14 points in 22 minutes and Hickey's 12 in 24 minutes. Champney finished with eight points and five boards, while Aitchison had seven points and six rebounds. McCormack and Pleat added game highs of five steals and five assists, respectively.

Vuono led the Pioneers with 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting with a game-best eight rebounds, while freshman Berit Schelde (Holstebro, Denmark/Falkonergaardens) contributed 13 points by going 6-of-11 from the field. Senior Helena Charron (Portland, ME/Deering) added six points, seven boards and four assists.

The Lyons will play game two of their three-game conference homestand on Wednesday against Babson College. Playing in the front end of a doubleheader with the men, Wheaton will face the Beavers at 5:30 p.m. Babson handed the Blue and White its only league loss of the season on January 20.

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 2/3/07.
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