Jo. Leedham leads the way with 30 as Ravens never trail

Boxscore 

COLCHESTER, Vt. (January 6, 2009) - Franklin Pierce University, among other teams receiving votes in this week's USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II poll, scored the first 14 points of the contest and never looked back in posting a 76-47 victory over Saint Michael's College in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action at Ross Sports Center tonight.

Junior All-American and Great Britain international Johannah Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)), the reigning State Farm/WBCA Division II Player of the Year, scored 21 of her game-high 30 points in the first half as Franklin Pierce built a 43-28 halftime lead. She made 10-of-18 shots from the field on the night, including 6-for-9 from three-point range, while converting all four free-throw attempts in 32 minutes to go with seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. Leedham hit 8-of-10 shots from the field in the first half, including 5-of-6 three-pointers.

Freshman Marielle Giroud (Martigny, Switzerland) led three Ravens that finished with ten points as she notched her first collegiate double-double with season-highs of ten points and 11 rebounds to go with three assists. Senior Jennifer Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy (Conn.)) added ten points, six steals and three assists, while classmate Toby Martin (Wayne, Maine/Maranacook) chipped in ten points (eight first half) and three rebounds.

Sophomore Logan Pintka (Niskayuna, N.Y./Colonie Central) was the lone Saint Michael's player in double-figures with 12 points, four rebounds (three offensive) and a blocked shot. Classmate Marilyn Ferreira (New London, N.H./Kearsarge Regional) added eight points and four assists, while senior Anna Florent (Fort Wayne, Ind./Snider) grabbed a game-high eight rebounds to go with six points off the bench.

Franklin Pierce shot 43.5-percent from the field (27-for-62) and three-point range (10-23) on the night, including 51.6% (16-31) from the field in the first half, draining 8-of-12 (66.7%) three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes. Saint Michael's was held to just 30-percent (18-of-60) shooting from the field, including 26.7% (8-30) in the second half. The Ravens posted a 46-36 rebounding advantage and outscored the Purple Knights 22-6 in points of turnovers.

Johannah Leedham scored nine points, with Martin chipping in the other five, as Franklin Pierce scored the first 14 points of the contest over the opening 5:41. The Ravens opened leads of 15 points (17-2), after a Leedham three seven minutes into the contest, and 18 points (26-8), after a Jennifer Leedham layup, in the first 11 minutes of the game.

Saint Michael's drew within 12 points (30-18) after a jumper by junior Michelle Otey (Southborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional) with 4:50 left in the opening frame. Franklin Pierce regained a 15-point lead at the break (43-28) and then netted the first ten points of the second half to break open a 25-point edge (53-28) after a Martin layup 3:29 in. Saint Michael's wouldn't get within 20 points the rest of the way as the Ravens opened as much as a 31-point bulge (75-44) with 3:36 left.

Franklin Pierce (8-4, 5-3 NE-10) is back in action on Thursday when it hosts Pace University at 5:30 p.m. Saint Michael's (8-5, 5-4 NE-10) visits Bentley College on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.