Marielle Giroud goes for 24 points for the second time in the last three games

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (January 7, 2012) -- The No. 23 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce University women's basketball team took to the road Saturday and picked up an important 73-48 win over Le Moyne at Ted Grant Court in Syracuse, N.Y. The Ravens improved to 9-4 overall and 6-3 in the Northeast-10, while the Dolphins fell to 2-10 and 0-9 in league play.

Senior forward Marielle Giroud (Martigny, Switzerland) paced Franklin Pierce with a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds, marking the second time in the last three games that she tossed in that point total. She also turned the trick in Franklin Pierce's 66-61 win over C.W. Post back on Dec. 30 in Brookeville, N.Y.

Sophomore guard Brittany Martelle (Brookfield, Conn.) came off the bench to go 6-of-8 from the floor (4-of-6 from three-point range) and pump in a season-high 16 points. She also dished out a pair of assists. Senior forward Jewel White (Worcester, Mass.) followed with 10 points, seven rebounds, four steals and a block.

Katie Hart netted a team-high 11 points for Le Moyne, while Emily Bayly followed with 10 points.

Despite the lopsided score, the game remained very close throughout the entire first half and opening stages of the second half. The score was knotted at 34 three minutes into the second half, but the Ravens quickly countered with seven-straight points to open up a 41-34 edge. Giroud highlighted the run with a three-point play, while White and sophomore guard Brooke Coderre (Woonsocket, R.I.) added a basket each.

The teams traded baskets over the next several minutes and Le Moyne was able to pull within five at 48-43 with 11:52 remaining on a pair of Bayly free throws.

Franklin Pierce, though, mounted another run, but this one came in a larger form of a 19-1 rally over a seven-minute span to open up a commanding 67-44 advantage. Giroud scored the first four points to spark the run and scored nine overall. Martelle also highlighted the surge with a pair of triples and eight points total. The Ravens led by as many as 26 late in cruising in for the victory.

The team stats were nearly identical throughout the entire 40 minutes. Franklin Pierce shot 38 percent from the field, while the Dolphins shot 39 percent. Both teams pulled down 35 rebounds, but the stat differential which went in the Ravens' favor was their 16 turnovers compared to an eye-popping 29 by Le Moyne. Giroud swiped seven steals to lead the Ravens in that category. Franklin Pierce scored 33 points off of Le Moyne turnovers, while the Dolphins were only able to net four points off of FPU miscues.

Franklin Pierce raced out to an 8-4 lead four minutes into the contest, thanks in part to a deep three-pointer from Coderre. However, Le Moyne scored 10 of the next 13 points to take a slim 14-11 lead four minutes later.

The Dolphins led by as many as five points late in the first half, but the Ravens closed out the stanza on a 6-2 run, sparked by a triple from senior guard Lekia Cowen (Hopedale, Mass.), to grab a 30-29 advantage at halftime.

Franklin Pierce returns to action Wednesday when the Ravens travel to face New Haven at 5:30 p.m.

For more information on Franklin Pierce women's basketball, please visit the team's page at athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the program even further, please visit Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceAthletics).