Date: January 18, 2005
Contact: W. Scott Giglio, 973-443-89650
FDU-FLORHAM WOMEN’S BASKETBALL RALLIES TO BEAT DREW 58-54:
DEVILS POST SECOND STRAIGHT COME-FROM-BEHIND CONFERENCE WIN
MADISON, NJ – The FDU-Florham Devils rallied from a nine-point second half deficit to beat cross-town and Freedom Conference rival Drew 58-54. FDU improves to 11-5 overall and 3-2 in the Freedom Conference. The Devils have won 10 of their last 12 games. Drew drops to 10-6 overall and 2-3 in the Freedom.
The Devils led by three points at the half, but Drew went on a 14-2 run to put FDU in a 37-28 hole with 15:33 on the clock in the second half. The Devils got within three points with 10:07 left after sophomore guard Margy Goodspeed (Berkeley Heights, NJ) made a pair of free throws to make the score 41-38.
Drew, however extended its lead back to eight points at the 8:49 mark on a jumper by Melissa Coover.
The Devils chipped away and tied the game on a jumper by sophomore guard Jessie Chalmers (Middletown, NJ) with 5:36 to play.
FDU then went on a 7-2 run over the next 3:39 fueled by three Drew turnovers to build a 55-50 lead with 1:57 left.
But Drew came back with a pair of lay-ups by Jennifer Weldon to cut it to 55-54 with 57 seconds left.
FDU junior center Ashley Flaherty (Hardyston, NJ) made up jumper to put the Devils up 57-54 with 31 seconds left.
After a Drew timeout, Drew was looking for a three-pointer to tie the game. After working for a shot for 22 seconds, Melissa Kraft missed a three-pointer with nine seconds left. Flaherty grabbed the rebound and was immediately fouled. She made the first of her two free throws to clinch the game.
Drew’s Sarah Marquez got off a three before the buzzer, but it was off the mark.
On the night, Flaherty finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Goodspeed had 11 points, four boards, and three assists. Chalmers chipped in nine points and a game-high three steals. Senior forward Pamela Sagehorn [Frisco, TX/Bridgewater-Raritan (NJ)] added nine points and nine rebounds.
For Drew, Weldon had 21 points on 10-for-17 shooting. Coover added 12 points and six rebounds.
The Devils picked up their shooting in the second half to 42.9 percent (12-for-28) after shooting a dismal 26.5 percent (9-for-34). The Devils also managed 19 points off turnovers on the night compared to Drew’s nine. FDU’s bench scored 22 points on the night to five by Drew’s bench.
The Devils will travel to Lycoming for a 1:00 pm game on Saturday.
-end-