Lyons sweep regular season series, push winning streak to three-straight

POSTGAME INTERVIEW / VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS / NGSWD CEREMONY

NORTON, Mass. – Wheaton College junior forward Abbie Brickley (Sandy, Utah/Skyline) and sophomore forward Kiley Shoemaker (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) combined for 50 points to lead the Lyons past Coast Guard Academy, 77-66, in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) matchup on Thursday night at Emerson Gymnasium.

Shoemaker posted her ninth double-double of the season on 25 points (13-for-14 FT) and a game-high 16 rebounds. Brickley countered with 25 points on 10-for-14 shooting from the floor to go along with five rebounds. Sophomore guard Rebecca Arnone (Litchfield, N.H./Campbell) added 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while junior guard Kenzie Kuhn (Glenwood Springs, Colo./Glenwood Springs) registered 11 points and four rebounds. Classmate Laura Pierce (Hamsptead, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) orchestrated the offense with a game-high seven assists, five rebounds, and three points.

Coast Guard received identical 15-point efforts from sophomore guard Meghan Fornaro (Charlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill) and junior forward Dani Knox (Centreville, Va./Westfield). Knox also collected 11 rebounds and handed out three assists for the Bears. Junior guard Brittney Zimmerman (Lewistown, Pa./Delaware Valley College) chipped in with nine points and five rebounds. Classmate Alexi Howland (Latham, N.Y./Central Catholic) compiled eight points, six assists and two boards.

In a contest which featured eight ties and six lead changes, Brickley gave the hosts the lead for good at the five minute mark banking home an off-balanced hook shot from the right elbow for a 62-60 advantage as the 30-second shot clock expired. The Lyons closed out the game at the free throw line going 13-for-15 down the stretch with a Shoemaker layup and Pierce three-ball sandwiched in between.

Coast Guard held the lead three times midway through the second stanza after the Bears casually chipped away at an early eight-point deficit (44-36, 18:29). Knox pushed the visitors ahead, 58-55, converting a fast break layup at the 9:26 mark for the Bears' biggest advantage. Wheaton responded with a pair of free throws by Shoemaker and a three-pointer from Pierce at the 7:08 mark for a 60-58 differential. Knox knotted the score up at 60-all on the Bears next possession with a jumper before Brickley's circus shot landed off the top-right corner of the glass sending the Lyons on a 15-6 run.

Wheaton turned in a 34-12 differential in the paint and a 6-4 margin on the fast break. Coast Guard outrebounded the Lyons, 44-42, and tallied a 20-12 gap in points off turnovers. The Bears also scored 20 second chance points as the visitors hauled in 20 offensive rebounds.

 With the regular season series sweep, the Lyons improve to 20-8 all-time against Coast Guard dating back to 1985-1986. The Blue and White are 8-1 when Brickley scores 20 or more points and 2-0 when Brickley and Shoemaker both score 20-plus points in a contest.

Wheaton (17-4, 12-4 NEWMAC) travels to WPI on Saturday, February 8 for a 2 p.m. conference matchup. Coast Guard (15-4, 11-4 NEWMAC) visits Emerson College for a NEWMAC contest on Saturday at noon.

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