Boisvert leads Yellow Jackets with near double-double effort of 20 points, nine rebounds

Boxscore 

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (December 9, 2008) - American International College held off Franklin Pierce, ranked 15^th in this week's USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll, to collect a 66-58 victory in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at Butova Gymnasium tonight.

Senior forward Stacy Boisvert (Agawam, Mass./Agawam) led American International with a game-best 20 points on 7-for-14 shooting from the field while converting all six free-throw attempts to go with a game-high nine rebounds. Classmate Jeanette Johnathan (Central Islip, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) added 13 points as she didn't miss a shot, connecting on 3-of-3 from the field, including her lone three-point attempt, and converting all six free-throw attempts. Junior Sasha Lowery (Paterson, N.J./Sports Business Academy) chipped in six points and seven boards.

Senior Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) led Franklin Pierce with 17 points, hitting 7-of-15 shots from the field, including 3-7 from three-point range, while adding three steals. Sophomore Cynthia Gaudet (Coventry, R.I./LaSalle Academy) added a career-best 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, while freshman Marielle Giroud (Martigny, Switzerland) grabbed a team-best eight rebounds to go with five points.

American International finished shooting 42.9-percent (24-for-56) from the field overall, 33.3% (9-27) from three-point range, after shooting 51.7% (15-29) in the first half (3-6 from three). Franklin Pierce made 40% (24-60) of its shots from the field, but just 25% (6-24) from beyond the arc. AIC enjoyed a 14-4 scoring advantage at the free-throw line. 

American International held a seven-point lead (45-38) after a layup from Jonathan midway through the second half. Franklin Pierce used a 14-5 run over the next seven minutes to take a two-point lead (52-50) after a drive from junior Rachel Kimball (Rotterdam, N.Y./Monohasen) with 3:46 to go. Lowery answered with a jumper to knot the score and spark a 10-0 run to regain an eight-point bulge (60-52) after two Boisvert free-throws with 47-seconds on the clock.

Leedham buried a three to pull Franklin Pierce within five (60-55) with 35-seconds to go, but AIC made its final 12 free-throws in the closing 2:19 to keep the Ravens at bay. Boisvert converted her last six free-throws in the last 47-seconds.

Franklin Pierce led by seven (18-11) after two-straight layups from older sister Jennifer Leedham with 11:13 left in the opening half. The Ravens lead was six (22-16) after a Gaudet layup with 7:43 to go in the half, when AIC reeled off a 19-4 run to gain a nine-point advantage (35-26) on a jumper from sophomore Laechia Conley (Urbandale, Iowa/Eastern Kentucky) with 2:10 left.

Franklin Pierce got back within four at halftime (35-31) after a conventional three-point play by Giroud with 12-seconds left. The Ravens closed within a point (39-38) after a layup by junior Kirsten Doldoorian (Brimfield, Mass./Oxford) 6:32 into the second half. AIC responded with six-straight points capped by the Jonathan layup for a seven-point lead heading down the stretch.

Franklin Pierce (4-3, 3-3 NE-10) is back in action on Thursday when it visits Saint Anselm College at 5:30 p.m. The Ravens return home on Saturday, December 20, to host Molloy College, an NCAA Tournament participant last season, at 1 p.m. American International (6-5, 5-2 NE-10) hosts LIU-C.W. Post for a non-conference contest on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.