KING\'S WINS MARYMOUNT TIP-OFF WITH 75-65 VICTORY OVER MT. ST. MARY\'S
(Lady Monarchs Win Third Game of the Weekend Against a 2006 NCAA D-III National Qualifier)
ARLINGTON, VA -- Kaitlyn Fiorino scored a career-high 27 points and the King\'s College women\'s basketball team defeated its third straight 2006 Division III national tournament qualifier in as many days as the Lady Monarchs posted a 75-65 victory over Mt. St. Mary\'s (NY) in the championship game of the Marymount Tip-Off Classic.
With the win, King\'s, which was 13-13 a year ago, improved to 3-0 on the year. The Lady Monarchs three victories came against a trio of opponents who were a combined 68-17 last season. King\'s defeated Oswego State 59-54 on Friday, prior to a 46-39 victory over Richard Stockton on Saturday.
Mt. St. Mary\'s, which has won seven straight Skyline Conference championships while making seven consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division III National Tournament., slipped to 2-1. The Blue Knights were 25-4 a year ago.
King\'s would trail 19-17 with 11:43 remaining in the first half when the Lady Monarchs used a three-pointer form Jenna Palumbo and four straight points by Brittany Atzert to take a 24-19 lead with 8:46 on the clock. After a three-pointer by Chantel Anthony brought Mt. St. Mary\'s to within 24-22, King\'s countered with an 8-0 run.
Fiorino would make one-of-two foul shots and Jenna Palumbo buried a three-pointer for a 30-22 lead. Fiorino than added a jumper with 4:03 left in the half as King\'s lead grew to 32-22. After the Blue Knights cut the lead to 39-33 on a three-pointer by Anthony with 0:53 left, Lauren Kendra drained a three-pointer for King\'s with 0:31 on the clock as the Lady Monarchs took a 42-44 lead into the break
In the second half Mt. St. Mary\'s would rally immediately with a 16-5 run and took a 49-47 lead on a basket by Jackie Markert with 13:38 left in the contest. But the Lady Monarchs would take the lead for good when Palumbo connected on a jumper and Fiorino scored seven straight points, and Andrea Hochstuhl converted a basket down low to cap a 9-0 run to give King\'s a 54-51 lead with 10:33 left in the contest.
After Anthony hit another three-pointer to bring the Blue Knights to within 59-56 with 9:09 left, King\'s answered with a decisive 10-1 run, capped by a traditional three-point play from Fiorino and a lay-up by Hochstuhl as the Lady Monarchs lead swelled to 69-57 with 4:40 remaining. Mt. St. Mary\'s would draw no closer than nine points the rest of the way.
Fiorino made 9-of-20 shots and 7-of-9 from the charity stripe while adding five rebounds and two steals. Palumbo, who was named to the all-tournament team, added 17 points and six rebounds while Kendra tallied 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Hochstuhl contributed six point and nine rebounds while Atzert chipped in with six points and six boards.
Anthony led Mt. St. Mary\'s with 19 points while Vanessa Lawson and Shannon Sangster added 11.
All Tournament Team
Cheri Bryant, Wesley
Lauren Fortna, Alvernia
Katie Reilly, Gettysburg
Sarah Lombard, Oswego
Alicia Morris, Richard Stockton
Tara Eddy, Marymount
Katie Armentrout, Marymount
Chantel Anthony, Mt. St. Mary
Vanessa Lawson, Mt. St. Mary
Jenna Palumbo, King’s
MVP -- Kaitlyn Fiorino, King’s