With the win the Saints improve to 28-2 and will play No. 2 ranked Hope College in the Sectional Semifinals next Friday (March 13, 2009) at a place and time to be announced by the NCAA tomorrow (March 8, 2009) night. The Falcons end their season at 24-4.
Senior guard Alex Gee gave the Saints an early 3-0 when she hit her school record 243rd three-point field goal at the 19:45 mark of the first half. Messiah then went on a 7-0 run to take a 7-3 lead when Ashley Brooks made a layup with 17:12 to play in the first half. The Saints responded with a 21-5 run to take a 24-12 run when senior forward Kristen Humphrey made a jumper with 5:05 to play in the opening half. Messiah then closed the half on a 6-2 run to cut the Saints’ lead to 26-18 at halftime when Brooks converted an old fashion three-point play with 35 seconds to play in the first half.
The Falcons opened the second half on a 22-16 run to cut the lead to 42-40 on an Angie Rapchinski three-pointer with 7:22 to play in the game. The Saints responded with an 8-2 run to extend the lead to 50-42 when Humphrey made two free-throws with 4:43 to play in the game. Messiah then went on an 8-4 lead to cut the lead to 54-50 on two Katie Kalb free-throws with 42 seconds to play. That would be as close as Falcons would come as the Saints went on to the 57-50 victory
Thiem was the only Saint to finished in double-figures as Gee and senior pint guard Gabby Johnson both finished just outside double-figures with nine points each. Humphrey and sophomore center Nicole Dickman led the Thomas More on the boards with nine rebounds apiece. Brooks and Rapchinski led the Falcons in scoring as they each finished with 11 points.
Newspaper Box Score Thomas More vs Messiah 03/07/09 7 p.m.M at Grantham, Pa. - Brubaker Auditorium At Grantham, Pa. - Brubaker Auditorium THOMAS MORE 57, MESSIAH 50 THOMAS MORE (28-2) Jayme Thiem 6-13 6-7 18; Alex Gee 3-3 0-0 9; Gabby Johnson 3-6 2-2 9; Kristen Humphrey 1-3 6-8 8; Nicole Dickman 1-5 5-6 7; Dana Bors 1-1 0-0 2; Lauren Hargett 1-2 0-0 2; Aleesha Faehr 1-2 0-0 2; Amy Stultz 0-0 0-0 0; Sarah Yeiser 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-36 19-23 57. MESSIAH (23-5) Ashley Brooks 4-7 2-3 11; Angie Rapchinski 3-8 2-2 11; Katie Kalb 3-13 2-2 10; Silalei Shani 3-7 2-4 8; Michele Schleich 2-8 0-0 4; Christa Wenrich 1-2 0-0 3; Julie Henninger 1-6 0-0 2; Kristen Groff 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 17-51 9-13 50. Thomas More................... 26 31 - 57 Messiah....................... 18 32 - 50 3-point goals--Thomas More 4-8 (Alex Gee 3-3; Gabby Johnson 1-3; Jayme Thiem 0-2), Messiah 7-17 (Angie Rapchinski 3-7; Katie Kalb 2-8; Christa Wenrich 1-1; Ashley Brooks 1-1). Fouled out--Thomas More-None, Messiah-None. Rebounds--Thomas More 40 (Kristen Humphrey 8; Nicole Dickman 8), Messiah 18 (Silalei Shani 9). Assists--Thomas More 4 (Kristen Humphrey 2), Messiah 10 (Ashley Brooks 5). Total fouls--Thomas More 18, Messiah 18. Technical fouls--Thomas More-None, Messiah-None. A-1129 2009 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Second Round