Sacred Heart narrowly edges Siena
FAIRFIELD, CT – Three would be the number of the night as Sacred Heart picked up their third win of the season 61-58 over Siena Women’s Basketball. At 12 different points in the game, either team would lead by just three points.
Adaysha Williams scored a game-high 22 points, including six-of-six from the free-throw line for Sacred Heart.
Meghan Donohue scored 20 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double for Siena. Jackie Benitez was also one board shy of a double-double as she recorded nine rebounds and 15 points.
With 42 seconds left in the game the Saints were down just one, 57-56. Siena had chances and Donohue put the Saints within three, 61-58 with just 6.4 seconds left. As the final buzzer sounded, Sacred Heart would walk away with a 62-58 victory.
The Pioneers went on a 14-0 run that lasted from the second quarter into the third to take a 51-43 lead. After trailing 34-29 at the half, Siena started the third quarter on a 9-0 run which put them up 38-34. The Saints would go up by as much as six, 43-37, but that is when Sacred Heart would begin their run.
In the first quarter, neither team would lead by more than three points. There were 10 lead changes and the score would only be tied once. While the Saints shot 60.0% from the field in the first quarter, the Pioneers would lead 20-19.
The Saints missed just one free-throw as a team and shot an impressive 93.8% from the charity stripe. Siena outrebounded Sacred Heart and shot 37% from the field while holding the Pioneers to a 36.1%.
Siena returns back to the Capital District to face Harvard on Dec. 21 at the Alumni Recreation Center. Tipoff is set for 12 p.m.
-Catherine Prince(Siena Athletics)