FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 28, 2007

2007 ECAC Women’s Basketball Tournament
Quarterfinal Round

New London, NH

1

2

Final

^{#8 Rhode Island College (17-10)}

20

26

46

^{#1  Colby-Sawyer College (22-6)}

16

28

44

Buzzer Beater: Anchorwomen Upset Top-seed, 46-44
Geisler and Danieli hit 3-pointers in final seconds

     NEW LONDON, NH—The Rhode Island College women's basketball team hit a pair of 3-point baskets in the final seconds of regulation to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, 46-44, to upset top-seeded Colby-Sawyer this evening in the first round of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England Women's Basketball Tournament. Junior forward Josalee Danieli (New Gloucester, ME) knocked down a triple as time expired to lead the Anchorwomen into the semifinal round of the tournament fray for the first time since 1998.

Trailing by four points in closing seconds of regulation, senior forward Kari Geisler (Deerfield, NH) drained just her fourth career 3-pointer in 16 attempts to cut the Rhode Island College deficit to one. On the ensuing possession, junior guard Sarah Coughlin (North Attleboro, MA) stole the in-bound pass and dished it off to Danieli, setting up the dramatic buzzer beater.  

The Anchorwomen (17-10) had two student-athletes reach double digits in scoring, paced by Geisler. Geisler posted her 12th double-double of the campaign, registering a team-high 14 points and 19 rebounds. Danieli scored 11 points and pulled in seven rebounds, while Coughlin handed out four assists.

Rhode Island College opened the scoring with the first six points of the contest and entered the intermission leading 20-16 over the top-ranked Chargers (22-6). The Anchorwomen displayed their depth with seven student-athletes entering the scoring column in the first frame.

The visitors continued to control the action in the second stanza, opening their largest advantage of the contest, nine points, with 16:19 remaining in regulation. Colby-Sawyer freshman forward Terri Duffy (Marshfield, MA) scored seven straight points to give the hosts their first lead of the contest, 37-36, with 5:36 left on the clock.  

In a nip-and-tuck affair down the stretch, neither team led by more than four points.  

Rhode Island College returns to action at 7 p.m. on March 2, when the Anchorwomen travel to fourth-seeeded Wheaton (MA) for semifinal action. Second-seeded WPI will host third-seeded Endicott in the other semifinal game. The highest remaining seed will host the championship round the following afternoon at 2 p.m.

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