FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 20, 2007

2007 Little East Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament
First Round Game

Providence, RI

1

2

Final

^#5 Eastern Connecticut (16-10)

29

38

67

^#4 Rhode Island College (16-10)

30

27

57

WARRIORS DASH RIC’S LEC TITLE HOPES, 67-57
Missed Free Throws Haunt Anchorwomen in First Round Tourney Action

     Providence, RI—Fifth-seeded Eastern Connecticut pulled away from fourth-seeded Rhode Island College down the stretch to advance in the 2007 Little East Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament with a 67-57 win. The Warriors will travel to top-seeded Southern Maine and face the Huskies in the semifinals on Friday, Feb. 23. The Anchorwomen will find out their fate on Monday when the ECAC New England Div. III Women’s Basketball Tournament field is announced.

Despite trailing for most of the first half, the Anchorwomen battled back to take a one-point, 30-29, halftime lead. RIC, which was 13-1 on the season when leading at the half, exchanged the advantage with the Warriors throughout the final stanza. The Anchorwomen led by six points with just under eight minutes left before Eastern Connecticut took the lead for good on a sophomore guard Nicky Morey (Columbia, CT) jumper with 3:40 left on the clock.

Morey, who missed her first five field goal attempts of the second half, caught fire to pace the Warrior attack, going 3-for-3 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free throw line down the stretch to lead Eastern Connecticut to victory. She finished with a game-high 22 points.

The Anchorwomen limited Eastern Connecticut leading scorers, senior forward Sandy Mosley (Goshen, CT) and sophomore forward Ashley McFetridge (Canton, CT), to only 15 field goal attempts between them. However, Mosley was 5-for-7 and McFetridge went 5-for-8, for 10-point efforts apiece. Sophomore guard Christina Amato (Marlboro, MA) contributed 14 points and eight rebounds.

Despite trailing, Rhode Island College had its opportunities to climb back into the lead. Senior forward Kari Geisler (Deerfield, NH) and freshman forward Jennifer Knott (Narragansett, RI) both missed crucial free throws with less than three minutes left in the game. The Warriors held the tandem of Geisler and freshman guard Alice Mullen (Saunderstown, RI) to a combined 7-for-28 shooting effort in the win.

Rhode Island College was without the services of sophomore guard Tyla Martin (Cumberland, RI), the club’s third-leading scorer, who broke her hand in practice yesterday.

RIC junior forward Josalee Danieli (New Gloucester, ME) led RIC with 15 points and seven rebounds. Geisler posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

 Rhode Island College President John Nazarian (right) presents Kari Geisler with the ball she grabbed her 1,000th Career Rebound with prior to the start of the game.

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