The Mount Suffers First Round ECAC Loss

DALLAS, PA. – The Mount Saint Mary College Women’s Basketball team saw its season come to a close on Wednesday night following a 71-61 loss to Misericordia in the First Round of the 2018 ECAC Tournament. Junior Kayla Cleare led three players in double-figures with 15 points.

The Knights never led on Wednesday, but after falling behind 6-0 in the early going got the game even at 11-11 on a Bridget Kelly bucket with 4:06 left in the first period. A Jordyn Hellpap basket with just over three minutes left in the half would be the final field goal of the period for the Mount, who were out scored 6-2 after the Kelly bucket that knotted the score.

The Knights would not make another field goal until the 7:44 mark of the second stanza, but the Cougars could not pull in front by more than five points over the drought. A pair of Janae Graham brought the Mount to within 18-17 with 6:39 left before halftime.

Misericrodia answered the Mount’s spurt with a 12-0 run to move in front 30-17 on an Erica Haefele lay-in with 3:32 left before halftime and later grabbed a 15-point advantage on a Japriya Carroll bucket with 1:06 left in the second quarter. The Mount answered with a Katie Smith free-throw and bucket from Jessica Rini to get its disadvantage down to 34-22 after 20 minutes.

Mount Saint Mary was held to 36-percent shooting over the first two quarters, while the Cougars shot 42.4-percent and knocked down five three-pointers. Zamolyi Quintessa led Misericordia with 11 first half points, while Hellpap paced the Knights with five.

Misericordia spread its lead to 40-22 on a Quintessa triple early in the third period and maintained a double-figure lead until a Kelly jumper with 1:24 left in the third period brought the Knights to within 45-37.

The Kelly bucket was part of an 11-2 run that saw the Mount move to within 47-43 on a Cleare bucket early in the fourth period. The Knights clawed to within 50-47 on two Cleare free-throws, but the Cougars would not let the Mount closer the rest of the way. The Mount got to within three again once more midway through the period, but the Cougars knocked in 11 free-throws over the final 1:19 to seal the win.

Mount Saint Mary made four more field goals than Misericrodia in the second half and limited the Cougars to 30.8-percent shooting, but the Mount was out scored by six from the free-throw line after halftime. Zamolyi scored 15 points after the break for Misericordia with Cleare netting 11 for the Knights.

Cleare closed the night shooting 5-for-11 from the floor and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, adding eight rebounds and two blocked shots. Hellpap went 3-for-3 from three-point range on her way to 12 points, with Rini posting 12 points and eight rebounds.

Smith and Lyndsay Pace led the Knights with two assists apiece, with Smith chipping in with five points. Elizabeth Limonta rounded out the game with six points and five boards, while Graham hauled in six rebounds and netted five points.

Misericordia by led by a game-high 26 points from Quintessa, who hit six triples, to go along with eight rebounds. Rachel Carmody finished off a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Cougars.

Mount Saint Mary finished the night shooting 37.5-percent and held Misericordia to 37.3-percent overall. The Cougars held the advantage in three-point field goals 8-4 and free-throws 19-15.

Wednesday’s loss closes the Mount’s season at 21-7.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email