Senior Sharn Hayward paced Stonehill’s three-point shooting by connecting on 7-of-11 on her way to a season-high 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting overall, to go with three assists and two steals. Sophomore Brooke Paquette added 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, a blocked shot and steal, while freshman Megan Sias rounded out the Skyhawks three double-figure scorers with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, four boards, three assists and a block.
 Swider posted career-highs with 13 rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots to go with six points (PHOTO BY Doug Monson) |
Postgrad Kylie Swider and senior Maureen Stapleton led a 45-32 rebounding advantage for Stonehill with a combined 23 rebounds. Swider grabbed a career-high 13 boards, including seven on the offensive glass, with six points, a career-best four assists and career-high matching four blocks, while Stapleton snared ten rebounds, dished a career-high matching seven assists and three blocks.
Senior Victoria Page was the lone Dartmouth player in double-figures with 11 points and five rebounds. Freshman Olivia Austin added seven points and three rebounds, while sophomore Alexandra Eldredge chipped in six points, four boards, two assists, four steals and a blocked shot.
Stonehill blocked ten shots as part of a defensive effort that limited Dartmouth to 26.6-percent shooting (17-for-64), including 2-for-16 (12.5%) from three, scoring just nine points in each of the first two quarters of play on 20-percent shooting (7-35), including 1-for-11 (9.1%) from long range.
Stonehill scored the first eight points of the game, sparked by consecutive three-pointers from Paquette and Hayward to start the scoring. Dartmouth drew back within five (10-5) after an Austin three-pointer with 4:34 remaining in the opening quarter, but Stonehill followed with five-straight by Sias to open a ten-point cushion (15-5) that the Skyhawks would carry into the second.
Hayward opened the second quarter with a layup and then hit a three as Stonehill extended its lead to 16 (28-12) in less than three and a half minutes. The Skyhawks lead would not creep within single digits the rest of the way, with Dartmouth only getting as close as 12 (28-16) after an Eldredge step back with 4:32 remaining in the half. Stonehill closed the half with a 12-2 run, scoring the final eight points of the frame, to carry a 22-point lead (40-18) after a Sias triple to cap the scoring in the half.
 Paquette contributed 15 points, four rebounds and four assists (PHOTO BY Doug Monson) |
Dartmouth crept to within 17 (42-35) halfway through the third quarter after Page split two free throws and went to the fourth quarter trailing by 18 (51-33) after outscoring Stonehill 15-11 in the frame. The Skyhawks scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter, sparked by consecutive threes by Hayward, to open a 26-point lead (59-33) as part of a larger 17-4 run to open the stanza, capped by her final three of the night with 3:46 to play for a 31-point cushion (68-37).
Noteworthy
- Hayward’s 27 points is her fourth 20-point outing of the season (sixth career) and the second-highest scoring game in the Northeast Conference this season, scoring in double-figures for the sixth time (18th career), draining four-plus threes for the fourth time this season (11th career).
- Hayward’s seven three-point field goals are the highest in the NEC this season, while Stonehill’s 11 threes as a team is its fourth game with double-digit three-pointers.
- Stapleton’s career-high matching seven assists were more than Dartmouth had as a team (six).
- Swider’s career-high 13 rebounds is her fourth double-digit rebound game of the season and matches the second-highest single-game total in the NEC this season.
- Swider also matched her own NEC-best for blocks in a game this season.
- Stonehill’s 51.8-percent shooting (29-for-56) is the highest by an NEC team this season against Division I opposition.
- Stonehill’s 24 assists (on 29 field goals) are second only to the 25 assists the Skyhawks had in their win at Utah Tech on November 13.
- Stonehill’s ten blocks are the most by an NEC team this season.
- Tonight marked the first meeting all time between Stonehill and Dartmouth.
Stonehill (3-6, 0-0 NEC) hits the road for three straight games, starting at Rider University on Saturday at 6 p.m. The Skyhawks next home game is after the Christmas holiday when they close out their non-conference schedule and open a four-game homestand by hosting the University of New Hampshire on Monday, December 30, at 4 p.m. Dartmouth (3-6, 0-0 NEC) is off until next Monday, December 16, when it visits Central Connecticut State University at 11 a.m.
Tickets for home Stonehill basketball games can be purchased in advance online at stonehillskyhawks.com/tickets.
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