RINDGE, N.H. (1/5/25) – The Franklin Pierce women's basketball team claimed their first Northeast-10 Conference win of the season with a hard-fought 65-61 victory over American International College on Sunday afternoon at The Fieldhouse.
SCORE: FPU 65, AIC 61
RECORDS: FPU (4-8,1-5 NE10), AIC (8-6,1-5 NE10)
DATE: Sunday, January 5, 2025
LOCATION: The Fieldhouse, Rindge, N.H.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Colette Mulderig (Scranton, Pa.) got the game started for the Ravens by sinking two free throws in the opening moments of the first quarter. Sara Macary (Naugatuck, Conn.) followed with a jumper, and Saga Tallroth (Stockhold, Sweden) added a three-pointer to give Franklin Pierce an early 7-5 lead.
- Both teams traded baskets throughout the first quarter, but Macary's jumper in the paint secured a narrow lead for the Ravens heading into the second quarter.
- Back-to-back layups from Mulderig and Janessa Gonzalez (Meridan, Conn.) gave Franklin Pierce a five-point advantage early in the second quarter, but AIC chipped away at the deficit.
- Despite consistent scoring from Macary and Gonzalez, AIC's Peyton Grant hit a clutch three-pointer with just one second left in the half, putting the Yellow Jackets ahead 26-25 at halftime.
- Macary kept her momentum going, opening the second half with a basket off an assist from Geanna Bryant (Boston, Mass.) to reclaim the lead for the Ravens.
- Mulderig caught fire, hitting back-to-back three-pointers to extend Franklin Pierce's lead to 38-31. Demi Albon (Craigieburn, Australia) and Tallroth added to the scoring late in the third quarter, briefly pushing the Ravens' lead into double digits.
- Gonzalez closed out the third quarter with a dominant stretch, hitting a three-pointer and two jump shots to give the Ravens a commanding 13-point lead heading into the final quarter.
- AIC mounted a fierce comeback in the fourth quarter, cutting the Ravens' lead to just one basket. However, Tallroth hit a clutch three-pointer with 4:49 remaining to keep the Ravens in control. The game ended with both teams trading free throws, but Franklin Pierce held on for a 65-61 victory.
BREAKING DOWN THE NUMBERS:
- Colette Mulderig earned herself a double-double and led the team with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
- The Ravens shot 38.6% from the field. The Yellow Jackets shot 36.2%.
- The Ravens shot 26.3% from three-point range. The Yellow Jackets shot 35.0%.
- The Ravens had 42 rebounds to the Yellow Jacket's 32.
UP NEXT FOR THE RAVENS: The Franklin Pierce women's basketball team returns to action this Wednesday as they head to Pace University. The game is set to tip off at 5:30 PM.
