HOBOKEN, N.J. (November 24, 2012) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's basketball team (3-1) fell for the first time this season in a 65-51 defeat at the hands of William Paterson University (3-1). The the game was tied as late as the 31st minute of the game.
It was the Ducks who lead in the early going, scoring 12 of the first 18 points of the day. Molly Spadaro (Sewell, N.J.) hit a three-pointer five minutes in to give the home team its largest lead of the afternoon.
Maggie Kowalska (Edison, N.J.) pulled down 10 rebounds in the first half alone on her way to a game-high 18. The senior also finished with five blocks.
The Ducks held William Paterson to just 28 percent shooting in the first half, but a buzzer-beater before the break gave the Pioneers a 32-29 halftime lead.
At the 17-minute mark of the second half, Spadaro hit another three. She then stole the ball on the ensuing possession and started a fast break that led to a tie game at 37-all.
Eight minutes later, Miranda Ripken (Fallston, Md.) fed Avis Benjamin (Queens, N.Y.) for a layup on an inbounds play that tied the score again, and on the next possession Megan Petuskey (Mays Landing, N.J.) knocked down a baseline jumper to tie the score again.
The Ducks continued to hang around with the Pioneers – who are receiving votes in the national polls – as Dylan Krause (Atlanta, Ga.) hit a big three-pointer to get the Ducks within one point with 8:08 to go. The freshman led the Ducks in scoring with 14 points in the game.
From that point, however, WPU pulled away on a 13-0 run. Stevens had no answer for Floriana Borova (Cresskill, N.J.), who finished with 30 points for the visitors.
Stevens outshot and out-rebounded the Pioneers, but WPU led 18-2 in points off turnovers…William Paterson also earned 17 more steals and had 10 more points in the paint...Stevens shot just as well from the free-throw line (10-20) as it did behind the arc (5-10).
The Ducks will return to the hardwood at Brooklyn College on November 28 at 7 p.m.
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