Senior co-captain Jennifer Leedham led the Ravens to a
season-opening win today with 18 points, six assists and four
steals. PHOTO BY Marc Hagemeier.
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Leedhams lead the way for Ravens as Jennifer nets 18
and Johannah collects double-double
Boxscore
COLCHESTER, Vt. (November
15, 2008) - Reigning regional champions Franklin Pierce,
ranked No. 4 in the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II preseason poll,
got its 2008-2009 season off to a good start with a 73-43 victory
over Queens (N.Y.) College at the Doubletree Hotels Tip-off
Classic, hosted by Saint Michael's College, at Ross Sports Center
this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce was led by the
sister combination of senior Jennifer and junior
All-American Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port,
England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)). Jennifer led all
scorers with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field,
including 3-for-5 from three-point range, while converting 3-of-4
free-throw attempts. She also collected six assists and four
steals. Johannah, the 2007-08 State Farm/WBCA Division II Player of
the Year, posted a double-double effort of 11 points and ten
rebounds. It marked the third-straight game, dating back to the
2008 NCAA Tournament, Leedham has posted a double-double
(19th career) and she has now netted double-figure
points in all 59 games of her collegiate career.
Senior Vanessa Power
(Mildura, Australia) added 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting
from the field, including 2-for-6 from three-point range. Sophomore
Tori Ahrens (East Greenwich, R.I./East Greenwich)
chipped in eight points and eight rebounds (four offensive) and two
blocked shots.
Junior All-American Johannah Leedham posted her 19th career
double-double with 11 points and ten rebounds. PHOTO BY Richard
Orr Sports Photography.
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Junior Kara Otterbine
(Wayne, N.J./DePaul Catholic) led Queens with a
double-double performance of 12 points, aided by 6-for-8 shooting
at the free-throw line, and a game-high 14 rebounds to go with
three steals. Sophomore Amanda Bartlett (Mesa, Ariz./Red
Mountain) led the Knights with 15 points to go with four
rebounds.
Franklin Pierce hit 44.3-percent
(27-for-61) of its shots from the field on the afternoon, including
51.7% (15-for-29) in the first half as the Ravens built a 42-22
lead at the break. Queens finished shooting 23.4-percent
(11-for-47) for the day, including 16% (4-for-25) in the second
half. The Knights were also hampered by 32 turnovers, which
resulted in a 39-17 disadvantage in points off turnovers.
Franklin Pierce led by two (18-16)
with 7:04 left in the first half, but broke the game open with a
16-0 run over the next three-plus minutes to open an 18-point
advantage (34-16) after a Power three-pointer with 3:51 left in the
stanza. Jennifer Leedham had five points during the run, including
a conventional three-point play, while Power finished with five
points in the stretch as well. Junior Rachel Kimball
(Schenectady, N.Y./Monohasen) sent the Ravens into the
locker room with a 20 point lead with a three-pointer with
three-seconds to play.
A 10-0 spurt early in the second
half pushed the Franklin Pierce lead to 30-points (56-26) after a
Melissa Kapela (Queens, N.Y./Christ the King)
jumper with 13:12 to play. The Ravens lead peaked at 38 (68-30)
after a Johannah Leedham lay-up with 6:11 left, before settling on
the final 30-point margin.
Franklin Pierce (1-0, 0-0 NE-10)
opens its Northeast-10 Conference and home schedule on Wednesday
when it hosts the University of Massachusetts Lowell at the
Fieldhouse as part of "Pierce Pride" Night at 5:30 p.m. Queens
(0-1, 0-0 ECC) faces host Saint Michael's College tomorrow at 1
p.m.
