WEST HAVEN, Conn. (January 18, 2014) – Senior guard
Brittany Martelle (Brookfield, Conn.) pumped in a
game-high 20 points, but it wasn't enough as the Franklin
Pierce University women's basketball team dropped a 66-52
decision to New Haven on Saturday afternoon at Charger Gymnasium in
West Haven, Conn.
New Haven improved to 12-4 overall
and 7-3 in the Northeast-10, while the Ravens had their four-game
winning streak snapped in falling to 8-7 and 5-5 in league
play.
Martelle's two free throws
and sophomore guard Dyamond Gardner's (Cambridge,
Mass.) three-pointer on back-to-back possessions midway
through the second half pulled the Ravens to within five at 45-40,
but it was as close as they would come to getting back into the
contest.
New Haven countered by scoring
eight-straight points over the ensuing four minutes to open up a
13-point advantage, keyed by a pair of triples from Elizabeth
Cruso.
Cruso had nine off the bench for
New Haven, while three Charger starters logged double-figures in
scoring, including Aquillin Hayes and Briana Bradford with 14
points apiece, and Bria Moore with 11.
The Chargers continued to add to
their lead and Moore's layup with 2:22 remaining staked UNH
to a commanding 66-45 lead.
New Haven shot 42 percent for the
game, but was even better in the second half by connecting at a
48-percent clip. The Chargers also held a 41-34 advantage on the
boards.
Franklin Pierce shot just 35
percent, as sophomore forward Kara Charette (Fairhaven,
Mass.) was the team's other double-figure scorer
with 12 points.
New Haven tried to pull away in the
early stretches of the first half, but the Ravens wouldn't
budge and kept clawing away. The Chargers stretched it out to a
20-11 lead midway through the half, but Franklin Pierce clawed its
way back with an 11-4 run to pull within two with 5:30 left until
halftime. Martelle sparked the rally with five-straight points,
while Charette followed with four consecutive, and the former
capped it with another basket.
The teams remained close the
remainder of the half with UNH taking a 31-26 lead into the locker
room at halftime.
Franklin Pierce returns to action
Wednesday when the Ravens travel to take on Pace at 5:30 p.m.
For more information on Franklin
Pierce women's basketball, please visit the team's page
at http://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/FranklinPierceRavens).
Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce women's basketball
apparel can do so on the athletic department's online store
at http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.)
