Box Score
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The Manhattan College women's basketball team scored the first 11 points of the game and never looked back on Sunday afternoon, as the Lady Jaspers (2-1) cruised to an 88-58 victory over the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (0-2) at Draddy Gymnasium. Michelle Pacheco (Bronx, N.Y.) finished with 21 points to lead four Lady Jaspers in double figures.
"Michelle was fantastic today," Head Coach John Olenowski said. "She did a great job running the floor, both offensively and defensively. As a team, we played really well offensively and did a nice job keeping that pressure going."
Manhattan made its first four field goal attempts and led 13-2 barely three minutes into the game. After Bria Jackson drained a three for the Lady Hawks, Pacheco fed Lindsey Loutsenhizer (North Huntingdon, Pa.) for a layup that ran the Lady Jaspers' lead back to double digits, where it would remain for the rest of the contest.
The Lady Jaspers used a 15-4 run, capped by Pacheco's traditional three-point play, to open up their biggest lead of the half, a 22-point, 37-15 advantage with 7:52 remaining in the period. Maryland Eastern Shore utilized the three-pointer to keep it relatively close, and responded with a 9-2 run to get back within 15 at 39-24. The Lady Hawks would pull no closer, however, as Manhattan shot 63.3 percent (19-of-30) from the field in the first half and led 55-36 at the break.
Manhattan picked up right where it left off in the second half, using a Nadia Peters (Bronx, N.Y.) layup and back-to-back three-pointers from Loutsenhizer and Alyssa Herrington (Cambridge, N.Y.) to bring the lead back to 23 points, 63-40, with 17:32 remaining. The Lady Hawks got back within 20 when a pair of Casey Morton free throws made it 68-49 with 12:46 left, but the Lady Jaspers responded with an 18-5 run over the next eight minutes to make it a 30-point game. Manhattan's advantage reached a game-high 32 points on a bucket by Alicia Marculitis (Worcester, Mass.) at the 2:54 mark, and the Lady Jaspers wrapped up a 30-point, 88-58 win on a free throw by Karita Brown (Sterling, Va.).
Pacheco, who had 17 points in the first half, ended up with 21 points and tied a career-high with eight assists. Loutsenhizer and Peters each just missed out on double-doubles, as well. Loutsenhizer had 16 points and eight rebounds to go along with a career-high four assists, while Peters tallied a career-best 11 points and added eight rebounds and three blocks. Herrington was the fourth Manhattan starter in double figures with 11 points. For the game, the Lady Jaspers shot 50.8 percent (31-of-61) from the floor, 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from downtown and 61.3 percent (19-of-31) at the line. Manhattan also outrebounded Maryland Eastern Shore 47-42.
Chelsea Sanders notched a game-high 22 points and added six rebounds and three assists for the Lady Hawks. April McBride tallied a double-double with 11 points and 11 boards. She also dished out a team-high four assists. Maryland Eastern Shore shot 30.3 percent (20-of-66) from the field, including 27.3 percent (6-of-22) from three-point range, and 60 percent (12-of-20) at the charity stripe.
Manhattan plays four of its next five games away from home, starting with a short trip to Columbia (2-1) for a 5:30 p.m. contest on Tuesday. The Lady Jaspers and Lions haven't met since a 65-51 Manhattan victory on Nov. 19, 2006.
NOTES: Manhattan improved to 2-0 all-time against Maryland Eastern Shore...The only previous meeting between the teams was a 78-51 Manhattan victory on Nov. 30, 1991...Pacheco finished one point shy of her career-high and tied a career-high in assists for the second straight contest...Peters' previous career-high was six points at Siena on Dec. 7, 2007...Manhattan had four players in double figures for the first time since March 5, 2009, when four Lady Jaspers reached the mark against Loyola in the MAAC Tournament...Schyanne Halfkenny (Hyde Park, Mass.) notched a career-high nine points and shot a perfect 4-for-4 from the field...Eleven of the 13 players on the roster scored at least one point...The Lady Jaspers outscored the Lady Hawks 42-22 in the paint and 10-0 on the fast break...The Lady Jaspers have won their two home games by an average of 34.5 points.
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