Montclair, NJ (12/29/07) –Senior forward Lucy Sprung (Wilmington, VT/Wilmington Middle) scored 20 points and grabbed 17 rebounds while junior Ali Fourney (East Northport, NY/Northport) pumped in a game-high 25 points as Wesleyan University skipped past Montclair State, 75-70 in NCAA Division III Women's Basketball action at Panzer Gymnasium on Saturday evening.
Junior forward Meredith Lowe ( Philadelphia, PA/Central) added 14 points as the Cardinals put four players in double figures in moving to 7-2 on the season. It was the first meeting between the schools as Wesleyan was coming off a 17-day layoff playing last on December 11 when it topped Rhode Island College, 68-50.
Sophomore guard
JACKIE BERRY ( Tuckerton, NJ / Pinelands Regional) had 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Montclair State, which entered the game having had 21 days off. MSU, which fell to 5-4 with its second straight loss, had not been in action since a 65-61 loss at Richard Stockton on December 8.
Montclair State led 30-27 at halftime, but the Cardinals quickly grabbed the lead in the first 49 seconds with six straight points. From there the lead would change hands nine times and be tied on five other occasions. Trailing 46-45 with 13:33 left, Fourney began a 6-0 spurt with two free throws and later a layup as Wesleyan took a 51-46 advantage with over 12 minutes to go. The lead would get to seven, the last time coming with 7:19 remaining as Lowe drove the lane for a layup to make the score, 62-55.
The Red Hawks trimmed the lead back to two points at 62-60 as
CYNTHIA WARRINGTON (Villas, NJ / Lower Cape May Regional) completed a three-point play with 5:54 left. But Sprung answered with a layup and Allie Southam ( Santa Monica, CA/ Santa Monica) drained a three-pointer from the left side as the lead moved back to 67-60 with just under five to go.
Montclair would get another chance as Berry sank two foul shots to move within 71-68 with 1:11 left but Stephanie Savas (Brockton, MA/Brockton) countered with a layup 19 seconds later as Wesleyan led 73-68.
JESSICA GARRABRANT (Denville, NJ / Morris Knolls) connected on a short jumper with 36 seconds left as the Red Hawks got back to within one possession at 73-70. MSU then got a break as the Cardinals missed two free throws with 15 seconds left and got a chance to tie the game, however
JESSICA HORAN's (West Haverstraw, NY/North Rockland) three-pointer with four seconds left went off the mark. Fourney, who finished two points shy of her career high (27 vs. Emmanuel on December 6) connected twice from the foul line for the final margin.
Fourney added seven rebounds, five assists and four steals for the Cardinals, who held a 50-35 advantage on the boards, including 23 on the offensive glass. Lowe contributed six boards while Savas had eight to go along with three assists. Wesleyan shots 41 percent (29-of-70) from the field.
Garrabrant had 14 points and eight rebounds for Montclair State, which got 10 points and six assists from Horan. The Red Hawks shot 44 percent (26-of-59) from the field, but struggled at the foul line making just 15-of-27 attempts.
Both teams return to action in tournaments following the New Year's holiday. Montclair State will face Grove City College in the first game of the Days Inn Classic at Gettysburg College on Wednesday, January 2 at 6:00 pm.
