Marist Wins 2010 Citizens Bank MAAC Women's Basketball Championship
MAAC Sports
Albany, NY - Top-seeded Marist College claimed its fifth consecutive Citizens Bank MAAC Women's Basketball Championship with a 66-49 victory over third-seeded Fairfield University. Marist's Rachele Fitz was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player for the second time in her career.
Fitz had 15 points and four rebounds in the championship game. Teammate Corielle Yarde led all scorers with 17 points. Erica Allenspach added 13 for the Red Foxes. Fairfield was led by guard Desiree Pina who had 16 points. Senior Stephanie Geehan had 10 points and seven rebounds, while freshman Katelyn Linney also had 10 points. Senior Tara Flaherty had six points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Joining Fitz on the All-Tournament Team are teammates Yarde and Allenspach, Fairfield's Geehan and Pina, and Iona College's Thazina Cook.
Marist (25-7) got off to a fast start, getting baskets from Fitz, Allenspach, and Kate Oliver to take a 6-2 lead 2:47 into the game. Fairfield (19-12) responded with six quick points from Taryn Johnson and Geehan to take an 8-6 lead 15:25 to go in the opening half. After the Red Foxes tied the game 8-8, Pina gave the Stags an 11-8 lead with her three-pointer at the 15:02 mark. Oliver and Yarde then made back-to-back threes to put Marist ahead 14-13 with 13:02 to go in the first.
The Red Foxes grew the lead to three, 16-13, at the 12:17 mark on Fitz's third layup of the half. After Pina got Fairfield within one 16-15, Fitz converted a three-point play to make the score 19-15 with 10:28 remaining in the half. Marist led 23-19 when Taryn Johnson converted a three-point play at the 8:05 mark to get the Stags within one, 23-22. The Red Foxes then pulled away with an 11-0 run over the next 7:06, highlighted by six-straight points by sophomore forward Brandy Gang, to take a 34-22 lead. Pina added one more basket for Fairfield before halftime to make the score 34-24.
Marist grew the lead to 11 with 17:02 to go in the second half on Yarde's second three of the game, making the score 37-26. Fairfield then went on a 7-2 run over the next 1:43, as a Linney three-pointer made the score 37-33 with 15:15 remaining in the game. Yarde made another three with 13:18 to go, putting Marist up by seven 40-33. Linney answered with a three of her own to get the Stags within four, 40-36.
The Red Foxes then went on an 8-4 run, getting layups from Fitz, Yarde, and Johnson to take a 48-40 lead with 9:41 to go. The Stags came back with baskets from Liney and Tara Flaherty to cut the deficit in half, 48-44, with 8:31 remaining in the game. Marist then got an Allenspach three and a Fitz layup in the paint to take a 53-44 lead with 5:58 to go in the game. Allenspach then scored the Red Foxes' next four points to put Marist ahead 57-44 with 4:35 remaining. Fairfield closed to within 10 on three Pina free throws with 2:59 to go. The Red Foxes then ended the game on a 9-2 run, with a Johnson three with 23 seconds left putting an exclamation point on the championship victory.
Marist shot 47.2% from the field in the win, while Fairfield shot 35.1%. The Red Foxes also held the Stags to 15% from the three-point line. Fairfield held a 37-26 rebounding advantage, but committed 18 turnovers to Marist's 11. Pina led the Stags with 16 points, with Linney and Geehan adding 10 points apiece.
Marist will receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship. Iona, by virtue of its second place finish in the regular season, will receive an automatic berth in the WNIT.