Carey Action Photography
53
Gwynedd Mercy GMWB 10-16
70
Winner Marywood University MUWB 13-13
Gwynedd Mercy GMWB
10-16
53
Final
70
Marywood University MUWB
13-13
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Gwynedd Mercy GMWB 11 8 26 8 53
Marywood University MUWB 21 15 18 16 70

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Pacers Stifle Griffins to Advance to Atlantic East Semis

Hessling ties single-game rebounding record

Scranton, Pa. – Marywood University advanced to the semifinals with a resounding 70-53 victory over Gwynedd Mercy University Monday in the first round of the inaugural Atlantic East Conference women's basketball playoffs. The third-seeded Pacers advance to face No. 2 Cabrini University Thurdsay in Radnor, Pa.

Natasha Hessling scored game-highs of 23 points and 22 rebounds for her 17th double-double of the season. She tied her own single-game school record of 22 boards. Just this season alone, Hessling owns seven of the top eight single-game rebounding performances in school history.  

Aryah Aungst came through with 15 points and four assists for the Pacers. Alyssa Olson provided nine points, six assists three steals, and six rebounds.

Marywood blocked a season-best nine shots, led by Emily Theobald's four.

Thanks in part to a 15-point run, the Pacers rushed out to a 24-point lead in the first half. The Marywood defense held the Griffins in check, keeping them to 22.7 percent shooting for the game. Gwynedd Mercy was kept to just one field goal in the second quarter (5.3 FG%) and two field goals in the fourth quarter (11.1 FG%).

Marywood (13-13) beats Gwynedd Mercy in the playoffs for the first time in program history. The Pacers end a four-game playoffs losing streak to the Griffins. It marks the fourth consecutive season Marywood has reached a conference semifinal.

Leading by six late in the first quarter, Marywood outscored the Griffins 19-1 to take a 36-12 lead on a Cait Reilly layup from Emily Theobald. Gwynedd Mercy finished the final 39 seconds of the first half on a seven-point run that finished on a Marissa Sandone buzzer beater – its only field goal of the second quarter – that cut the deficit to 39-19 at the break.

Two eight-point runs moved Gwynedd Mercy to within five (42-37) on a Susan Bossler free throw with 3:47 left in the third quarter. Aungst responded with a clutch 3-pointer from Kilie Wyers that kicked off a seven-point stretch. Hessling made a backdoor layup on an Olson pass with 2:42 left in the third to take a 49-37 advantage.

The Griffins stuck around in the fourth quarter. Cheyenne Fine's layup minimized the Pacers' lead to 54-47 on the opening possession of the fourth quarter. Hessling put back a layup off of an offensive rebound, and Marissa Fernandez Tierney intercepted a pass and went coast-to-coast for a fastbreak layup that signaled a double digit lead (58-47) for the Pacers at the 8:13 mark.

Marywood held a monumental 32-14 advantage in points in the paint. The Pacers out-rebounded the Griffins by a 53-49 advantage.

Bossler and Sydney Thompson reached double figures with 13 and 10 points, respectively, for the Griffins.

Marywood will take on the Cavaliers Thursday at 7 p.m.
 
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