SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The top-seeded Marist women's basketball team defeated ninth-seeded Manhattan by a score of 72-50 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament quarterfinal round on Friday at the MassMutual Center.
Four Red Foxes scored in double digits. Senior Elizabeth Beynnon (Burlington, Vt.) led the way with 14 points, and tied for the team-high with six rebounds. Junior Leanne Ockenden (Syracuse, N.Y.) and freshman Madeline Blais (Exeter, N.H.) each added 13 points. Freshman Sydney Coffey (New Hope, Minn.) scored 11 points and also hauled in six rebounds. Junior guard Casey Dulin (Milford, Conn.) had six assists against no turnovers, five rebounds, three blocks and two points.
Marist led by as much as 14 in the first half, but an 8-0 Manhattan run cut the Jaspers' deficit to just five at 27-22 with 1:56 remaining until halftime. However, a basket by Blais stopped the run, and Marist led 31-22 at halftime. The Red Foxes led by as much as 29 in the second half, and Manhattan closed the game on a 7-0 run.
Allison Skrec led Manhattan (8-23) with 15 points, 13 of which came in the first half.
Marist (24-6) won its 19th consecutive game, and has now won 21 consecutive conference tournaments. The Red Foxes will be back in action on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. against the winner of fourth-seeded Rider vs. fifth-seeded Niagara. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN3.