WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Merrimack prevails against Siena in overtime affair
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. — The Siena Saints returned to action Tuesday evening following a nine-day gap in non-league action, playing inside the UHY Center for the second straight game. The Saints (2-2) were unable to find their offensive stride, resulting in a 67-64 overtime loss to first-time foe Merrimack (2-5).
Squaring off with a first-time opponent for one of two scheduled matchups this season, the Green and Gold led by four at the end of the first quarter, but ended up shooting a mere 7-22 in the first half to trail by five at the half. After outscoring the home team, 21-11 in the second period, Merrimack used a breakout 24-point bench performance from freshman Thalia Shepard to lead by as many as nine points multiple times in the second half.
Using a career performance of its own with a team-high 16 points from sophomore London Gamble, Siena remained around 30 percent from the field throughout the duration of the contest but began to battle back in the fourth quarter. The free throw line kept both teams in the game despite less-than-stellar shooting percentages, leading up to a 9-0 Siena run in the five minutes of the game to give the home team a 59-57 lead with 17 seconds remaining.
After being given life due to a missed free throw, Merrimack used a close-range jumper in the paint from freshman Paloma Garcia to tie the game with 4.1 seconds remaining, resulting in the Saints’ first home overtime affair against a non-conference opponent since 2010.
Gamble netted the opening basket of the fifth period, but Merrimack ripped off a 6-0 run thereafter, with a late three from junior Valencia Fontenelle-Posson putting Siena within one, but the team unable to tie the game down three in the final seconds.
The Saints ended the day shooting 31.1 percent from the field and 5-17 from three, while being outrebounded, 48-41, and allowing a staggering 43 bench points. Siena fell short despite forcing 22 Merrimack turnovers and going 21-30 from the free-throw line.
Four players finished in double figures for Siena for the second straight game, with sophomore Elisa Mevius turning in 14 points and Fontenelle-Posson joining junior Anajah Brown with ten. Sophomore Teresa Seppala added seven points and a team-high nine board, while Brown tied a career-best with four blocks.
The Warriors prevailed despite the turnovers and shooting 34.3 percent from the field, with Amaya Staton joining Shepard in double figures with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Siena will look to rebound when it heads across town for The Albany Cup against UAlbany at the Broadview Center on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 5 p.m.
