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SU Athletics [Men's Soccer Press Releases: 2005]

2005 SEA GULL WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RELEASES
 
 
February 2006 January 2006 December 2005

November 2005

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Women's Basketball Ends Season on a Sour Note, 69-60
 February 21, 2006

 SALISBURY-YORK BOXSCORE
 YORK, Pa. - In the first round of the CAC tournament, the Salisbury women’s basketball team was eliminated, 69-60, by York College on Tuesday night. The team ends their season with a 14-11 mark, ending their season losing six of their last ten games. 

In the first ten minutes, York and Salisbury were close as the Sea Gulls tied the score four times and took the lead, 21-19, at the 7:57 mark. In the final eight minutes, York outscored Salisbury, 19-5, to lead by 12 at the half, 38-26. In the second half, the Spartans never relinquished the lead, as the Sea Gulls were unable to get within nine points.

In the game for Salisbury, sophomore guard Meghan Phillips (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Borough) scored a season-high 26 points on 10-of-19 shooting, including 6-for-12 from beyond the three-point arc while recording five rebounds and five assists. Jessica Mills (Ijamsville, MD/Urbana) and Meghan Klug (Pasadena, MD/Chesapeake) also reached double figures. Mills scored 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting, while Klug scored 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting off the bench while leading the team in rebounds with nine. 

Sophmore forward Kristen Daly (Harrisburg, PA/Trinity) lead the Spartans in scoring with 21 points on 9-of-21 shooting with four rebounds. Senior guard Heidi Miller (Gettysburg, PA/Gettysburg) added 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting, while junior guard Jess Kemp (York, PA/York Suburban) added 10 points off the bench. Guard Keli Ward (Nottingham, PA/Oxford) recorded a double-double, pulling down 10 rebounds while recording 11 assists. 

As a team, Salisbury shot 32.8% (21-of-64) from the floor, compared to York’s 44.1% (26-of-59). Salisbury won the rebounding advantage, 44-39, but failed to stop York when Salisbury turned the ball over, leading to 25 Spartan points. 

Although Salisbury’s season ends, York advances in the CAC Tournament to take on No. 4-ranked University of Mary Washington, who earlier turned aside Gallaudet, 95-47, in first round action.

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SU Women End Regular Season With Win Over St. Mary's, 73-67
February 18, 2006

SALISBURY-ST. MARY'S BOXSCORE
 ST. MARY’S Md. - The Salisbury Women’s Basketball team (14-10, 7-7 CAC) finished the regular season with a 73-67 victory at St. Mary’s College (11-13, 6-8 CAC). Four Gulls scored in double-figures to pace Salisbury to victory. 

Sophomore guard Meghan Phillips (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Borough) led the Sea Gulls with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-8 from beyond the three-point arc. Phillips also pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the Gulls. Other top scorers included Jessica Mills (Ijamsville, MD/Urbana), who contributed 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting; and Meghan Klug, who scored 16 points off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting, while going 5-of-6 from the free throw line. 

For the Seahawks, Taylor Yearwood (Washington, D.C./Holy Cross Academy) scored 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 6-of-8 from the free throw line. Lisa Daciek (Laurel, MD/Atholton) added 15 points on 4-of-7 shooting. Allie Scott (Laurel, MD/Atholton) led St. Mary’s in rebounding with seven. 

St. Mary’s got as close as 66-65 with 1:52 to play, but Salisbury was able to hold them off. The Gulls committed 28 turnovers for the game and shot the ball 24 fewer times than the Seahawks. From the field, Salisbury shot 54.5% (24-of-44) from the field, compared to 35.3% (24-of-68) for St. Mary’s. The Seahawks held a slim advantage in rebounding, 39 to 35. 

This victory assures the Sea Gulls will receive the #5 seed heading into the CAC Tournament. This means Salisbury will be on the road for its first round game. However, the Gulls gained some confidence away from home by defeating St. Mary’s, and they will hope to carry this momentum into the postseason.

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Late Catholic Run Drops Sea Gull Women in Overtime, 88-77
February 15, 2006

SALISBURY-CATHOLIC BOXSCORE
 SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury University women’s basketball team dropped their third straight game Wednesday night, 88-77 in overtime. With the loss, the Sea Gulls fall to 6-7 in the Capital Athletic Conference and 13-10 overall, while the Cardinals improve to 17-7 and remain in second-place in the CAC at 9-4. SU was led by junior guard Jessica Mills (Ijamsville, MD/Urbana) 35 point eight rebound performance. 

The Gulls jumped out early on Catholic building up a 10-point lead part way through the first half. Sophomore guard Meghan Phillips (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Borough) paced Salisbury, scoring 10 of her 13 points in the first half. The Sea Gulls finished the half with a 14 point advantage while shooting 48.3% from the field. 

In the second half, Salisbury continued applying pressure to the Cardinals, stretching their lead to 19 points at 51-32 with just over 13 minutes to play. However, the Cardinals Kristen Linderoth scored 15 second half points to keep the game close. She finished with 22 points and seven rebounds. Catholic finished the second half on a 13-2 run over the final five minutes to knot the game at 67 and send it to overtime. The Cardinals shot 51.4% in the second half on 19 of 37 shooting while the Sea Gulls finished shooting 45.5% but were only able to connect on 10 of 22 shots. 

Overtime was dominated by CUA as they outscored Salisbury 21-10. The game was tied at 74 with just under three-minutes to play, but Catholic closed on a 14-4 run to pull out the win. Maria Rojas scored 10 points in the extra frame for the Cardinals and finished the game with a team high 27 points. 

Salisbury University’s Jenna Peters (Alexandria, VA/Edison) finished with five points, seven assists and eight rebounds.  Lindsay Martin (Newtown Square, PA/Villa Maria Academy) had eight points and three rebounds off the bench. The Cardinals’ Jackie DeBorger just missed a double-double as she finished the contest with 11 points and eight rebounds. 

Salisbury will finish out their regular season Saturday, February 18th, as they travel to St. Mary’s City, MD to play the St. Mary’s College Seahawks. The Sea Gulls look to avenge their first meeting loss to SMC as they fell to the Seahawks 75-63 on January 21st from Salisbury, MD. A win would put Salisbury back at the .500 mark in conference play.

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Mary Washington Eagles Bury Sea Gull Women, 72-54
February 11, 2006

SALISBURY-MARY WASHINGTON BOXSCORE
SALISBURY, MD. - The University of Mary Washington improved to 22-0 and 12-0 in the Capital Athletic Conference with a convincing, 72-54, victory over Salisbury University. The Sea Gulls fell to .500 in the CAC at 6-6, 13-9 overall.

Salisbury challenged the Eagles in the opening half with solid performances from Kat Kordal (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) and Kiera Watkins (Springfield, VA/Lake Braddock). Kordal led the Sea Gulls in scoring with 15 points and added nine rebounds, but her second foul early in the first half changed the momentum. Less than a minute after Kordal was forced to sit, Mary Washington took a 17-16 lead and never trailed again.

At halftime, the Eagles held a 35-27 advantage due to some hot-shooting. The Eagles shot 50% from the field, 12-24 two-point field goals and 2-4 from behind the arc. Liz Hickey scored her eight points all in the first half to pace the Eagles.

Mary Washington squashed any hopes of an upset with a strong beginning to the second half. Less than eight minutes into the half, a Leigh Kampman bucket gave the Eagles a 52-32 margin. Mary Washington turned the ball over 19 times, but the defense tightened in the second half, limiting the Sea Gulls to just 25.8% shooting. UMW finished the game hitting a respectable 45.5% from the floor and 73.9% from the foul line to secure the win down the stretch. Debbie Bruen and Kampman each had 14 points for the Eagles who maintained a firm grip on first place in the CAC.

Salisbury University plays its final regular season home game against Catholic on February 15th. The Sea Gulls look to jump in the standings heading into the CAC tournament.

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Salisbury Women Blown Out by Marymount, 84-55
 February 8, 2006

 SALISBURY-MARYMOUNT BOXSCORE

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Salisbury women’s basketball team (13-8, 6-5 CAC), looking for their fourth straight win and third straight against the conference, were routed Wednesday by the Saints of Marymount University (15-7, 7-4 CAC), 84-55, in Arlington, Virginia. The loss snaps Salisbury’s three-game win streak, their longest win streak since opening the season 6-0.

 

Marymount held the lead from Kacee Grogan’s opening score one minute into the contest. Salisbury was unable to sustain any momentum, as the Saints were able to stretch the lead to a high of 32 in the first half and eventually to a 27-point, 51-24 lead at halftime. Salisbury was hurt especially by turnovers, as Marymount scored 19 points on Salisbury giveaways.

 

In the second half, Salisbury played much better, as scoring was 33-31 in favor of Marymount in the second half. Unfortunately for Salisbury, the team was unable to overcome a poor first half, as Marymount would go on to their 29-point victory.

 

Salisbury was led offensively by Jessica Mills, who scored 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the three-point arc. Jenna Peters contributed 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting, while Meghan Klug added 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting off the bench. Klug also added seven rebounds to lead Salisbury, while Kiera Watkins added six.

 

Marymount’s Randi Jones led all scorers with 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including a perfect 5-of-5 from beyond the three-point arc. Carolyn Riley added 13 points on 4-of-10 shooting and added six assists, while Grogan and Kathryn Wilson each added 10 points. Meghan Denham and Tara Eddy each had nine rebounds to lead the team.

 

Salisbury struggled from the field, as they shot 28.6% (20-of-70) from the field for the game. Marymount fared much better, shooting 45.8% (27-of-59) from the field. Marymount also held the advantage in rebounding, 49 to 33.

 

Salisbury will look to return to the win column Saturday as they return home to host nationally-ranked Mary Washington at 5:30 p.m at the Maggs Gym.

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Salisbury Women Trip Up Goucher Gophers, 78-68
February 4, 2006

SALISBURY-GOUCHER BOXSCORE
TOWSON, Md. - The Salisbury women’s basketball team (13-7, 6-4 CAC), coming off two straight victories of conference opponents, won their third straight game Saturday night, defeating Goucher College (6-10, 2-8 CAC), 78-68. Freshman forward Marissa Manzo (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdan Central) scored 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting off the bench to lead the Sea Gulls to victory. 

In the first half, the teams traded the lead twice. Salisbury led by as many as five, while Goucher held a four-point lead twice in the half leading to a . Salisbury executed on eight Goucher turnovers, scoring 14 points. Salisbury’s bench exploded for 32 points in the half, while Goucher was limited to 18 first-half bench points. 

Early in the second half, it would appear that Salisbury would control the tempo of the game, stretching the lead to five, 51-46, with 15:06 left in the game. Goucher, however, completed a 25-10 run over the next ten minutes to tie the game at 66 with 5:27 remaining. Salisbury would then pull away for the ten-point victory on the strength of Manzo and sophomore Monica Merkel (Frederick, MD/St. John’s Prospect Hall). 

Aside from Manzo’s stellar performance, the Salisbury attack was also led by Merkel’s 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting and Kat Kordal (Randolph, NJ/Randolph), who scored 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting. Senior forward Kiera Watkins (Springfield, VA/Lake Braddock) led the Sea Gulls in rebounds, pulling down 13 boards. Kordal also pulled down nine rebounds, while Manzo contributed eight. 

Goucher’s Shadae Swan (Baltimore, MD/St. Frances Academy) led all scorers with 33 points on 13-of-22 shooting from the bench. Swan also hit 5-of-7 three-point attempts. Francheska Guilfu (Bridgeport, CT/Preston) contributed 13 points on 3-of-8 shooting and led the Gophers in rebounds with six. 

Salisbury shot 40.5% (30-of-74) from the field for the game, while Goucher shot 37.7% (26-of-69). Salisbury held the large advantage in rebounds, 63 to 32. 

Salisbury will travel to Arlington, Virginia to take on conference opponent Marymount on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. The team will return home next Saturday, February 11, to host nationally-ranked Mary Washington at 5:30 p.m.

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Sea Gull Women Snap Three-game CAC Skid, 65-41
February 1, 2006

SALISBURY-GALLAUDET BOXSCORE
SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury University women’s basketball team was looking for a spark to help snap a three-game Capital Athletic Conference losing skid and the Sea Gulls used defense, rebounding and deep bench play to do it. SU outrebounded Gallaudet University 62-39, forced 33 turnovers and the Sea Gull bench outscored the Bison reserve player 42-2 as Salisbury rolled to a 65-41 win at the Maggs Center Wednesday night.

Salisbury (12-7, 5-4 CAC) took advantage of a Gallaudet squad that had only six players dress for the contest by going 12 players deep into its bench. Katie McFarland hit 5-of-11 field goals and recorded five steals off the pine for 11 points. Monica Merkel added nine points, four rebounds and three assists, Marissa Manzo knocked down eight points and added six boards and Tanya Traeger scored seven points and finished with six rebounds.

The Sea Gulls starters also held their own. Kat Kordal hit 3-of-6 field goals for 11 points. She also added six rebounds. Kiera Watkins chipped in seven points. Salisbury outscored Gallaudet 21-11 on second-chance points and 26-11 on points off turnovers.

Johanna Karmgard led all scorers with 24 points for Gallaudet (3-17, 1-7 CAC). She hit 10-oif-19 from the field and added a game-high 12 rebounds as she played the entire 40 minutes. Jessica Salisbury scored 10 points and pulled down nine rebounds.

Neither team shot the ball well. Salisbury converted 24-of-75 field goals (32%) and only 1-of-15 (6.7%) from behind the three-point arc. Gallaudet connected on just 18-of-56 (32.1%) and 1-of-4 from three-point land.

The Sea Gulls turned 20 first-half Gallaudet turnovers into 19 points as SU built a 36-17 lead at intermission. Salisbury’s largest lead of the opening period was 21 (35-14), with 3:24 on the clock.

Salisbury’s lead continue to grow in the second half as the Gulls stretched the advantage to as much as 28 (56-28) before settling for the 24-point victory.

SU will take its two-game winning streak on the road for the next two league games. The Gulls will visit Goucher College Saturday at 5:30 p.m. before traveling to Marymount University next Wednesday.

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Salisbury Women Rout Rowan University, 95-66
January 30, 2006

SALISBURY-ROWAN BOXSCORE
SALISBURY, MD - The Salisbury University women’s basketball team (11-7) forced 37 turnovers from the Rowan University Profs (5-14) on way to a 95-66 non-conference win Monday night at the Maggs Center. The Seagulls were lead by senior guard Christen Barney, who provided 21 points in 25 minutes of play.

Salisbury built up as much as a 16-point lead in the first half and took a 45-32 lead into intermission. Rowan, led by senior guard Sheemea Carr’s 19 points, chipped away at the Salisbury lead, pulling as close as four points midway through the second half.  However, after a Jenna Peters (5 pts, 4 assists) jump shot and back-to-back buckets by sophomore guard Monica Merkel, the Seagulls reclaimed a double-digit lead and never looked back. Merkel finished with 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

Rowan’s Lauren Byrne had a double-double for the Profs with a 10-point, 10-rebound effort.  Tracie Smith added her own 17 points including 3-of-5 shooting from behind the arc. The Seagull’s Jessica Mills finished with 17 points and a 50% shooting night from three-point land. Meghan Phillips and Kiera Watkins had 10 and 12 points, respectively, for Salisbury.

Despite the constant pressure by the Salisbury defense, Rowan was still able to shoot over 44% from the field.

Salisbury will next play against Gallaudet University on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. as they host the Bison at the Maggs Center.    

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Sea Gulls Edged by York College, 76-73
January 28, 2006

SALISBURY-YORK BOXSCORE
YORK, Pa. - The Salisbury women’s basketball team (10-7, 4-4 CAC), looking to return to the win column for the first time since the thrilling double-overtime win over Marymount, fell again on Saturday, 76-73, at the hands of the Spartans of York College (10-9, 4-4 CAC). York has now won three-in-a-row, while Salisbury has lost six of nine games in the New Year. 

Salisbury held an early advantage in the first half, building a six-point, 10-4 lead in the first three minutes. The Spartans were able to tie four times until the 11:25 mark of the first half, when they took the lead, 14-12. York stretched the lead to a high of eight points, but Salisbury fought back to take a 38-37 lead into the half on a lay-up by Meghan Klug with 12 seconds left. 

In the second half, York was able to take control for the remainder of the game, holding a lead as high as 13 points. Salisbury was able to come within one point of York on a jumper by Christen Barney, but the Spartans held off the Sea Gulls for the three-point victory. 

Meghan Phillips led the Sea Gulls in scoring, contributing 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting and six rebounds off the bench. Barney (5-of-14 shooting) and Marissa Manzo (6-of-8 shooting) scored 12 points a piece, while Klug added 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting and five rebounds of the bench. Barney added eight assists, while Manzo led the Sea Gulls in rebounding with 10. 

York’s Kristen Daly led all scorers with 17 points on 7-of-17 shooting while adding six rebounds. Jess Huntley added 16 points on 3-of-11 shooting and was 10-of-14 from the free throw line. Keli Ward added 13 points (2-of-8 shooting) and seven assists, while Chanel Perez added 12 points (4-of-11 shooting). Huntley led York with 12 rebounds, while Ward added nine. 

Salisbury shot 40.6% (26-of-64) from the field, while York shot 30.6% (22-of-72) from the field. Salisbury edged York in rebounding, 49 to 48. Salisbury committed 25 turnovers on the afternoon contributing to 20 points for the Spartans. 

Salisbury will look to snap their three-game losing streak Monday night as they host Rowan University (5-13) for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.

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Sea Gulls Come Up Short Against Catholic, 59-55
January 25, 2006

SALISBURY-CATHOLIC BOXSCORE
WASHINGTON, DC - The Salisbury University women’s basketball team continued to struggle with its field goal shooting Wednesday night, hitting just 28.6% (20-of-70) from the field, including 12.5% (2-of-16) from behind the three-point arc, in a 59-55 setback to Catholic University of America in Capital Athletic Conference action at the DeFour Center.

Catholic (14-4) strengthened its strong-hold on second-place in the CAC race with the victory, improving to 6-1 in league play. The Cardinals began the night one game behind first-place Mary Washington (16-0, 6-0), who hosting Marymount University (12-5, 4-2) Wednesday. Salisbury (10-6), which dropped its second straight league game, fell to 4-3 in conference action.

Both Salisbury and Catholic had trouble putting the ball in the basketball Wednesday night. The Cardinals were luke-warm in the first half, hitting 41.4% (12-of-29) field goals while Salisbury was limited to 32.4% (12-of-37) as CUA built a 32-28 lead at the break. Salisbury led for a majority of the opening period, pulling out to an eight-point lead on two occasions and holding its largest lead of nine points (21-12) when Marissa Manzo (6 pt., 4 rb) hit a jumper and a layup with 6:49 on the clock.

Catholic came roaring, outscoring Salisbury 10-0 over the next 1:52 to take a 22-21 lead. The teams then traded leads down the stretch in the first half.

The game remained close in the second half, with the Cardinals never opening up a lead of more than six points. Jackie DeBorger (10 pt, 5 rb, 4 as) started CUA off with a layup, but neither team could build an advantage, despite Salisbury only converting 28.6% (8-of-28) from the field in the final 20 minutes.

Christen Barney led the Sea Gulls in scoring for the seventh time this season, scoring 17 points, while pulling down six rebounds and four assists. Jessica Mills added 10 points and four boards for SU, Monica Merkel dropped in eight points and Kat Kordal finished with six rebounds. Jenna Peters led SU in the rebounding department with seven.

Shannon Mertz paced Catholic with 19 points and 12 boards and Lindsay DiRomualdo added 13 points and five rebounds.

The Gulls will continue its current road trip on Saturday when they visit York College (Pa.) at 2 p.m. before hosting Rowan University in a non-conference matchup Monday at 5:30 p.m.

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St. Mary's College Knocks Off Sea Gull Women, 75-63
January 21, 2006

SALISBURY-ST. MARY'S BOXSCORE
SALISBURY, Md. - A cold-shooting first half by the Salisbury University women’s basketball team combined with a hot-shooting St. Mary’s College squad proved to be too much to overcome Saturday afternoon in the Maggs Physical Activities Center as the Sea Gulls couldn’t overcome a 38-29 deficit at the half as they fell 75-63 to the Seahawks.

The first loss at home of the season for Salisbury (10-5, 4-2 CAC) in six tries was a tough one to take for the Sea Gulls as they began the day in a two-way tie with Catholic University in second place in the Capital Athletic Conference standings. Both SU and CUA stood behind first-place Mary Washington (15-0, 5-0 CAC) heading into action. St. Mary’s improved to 7-1, 2-4 in the CAC with the victory.

The Seahawks hit 13-of-28 (46.4%) from the field in the opening period, while limiting Salisbury to 9-of-31 (29%). St. Mary’s scored 10 points off 12 Sea Gull turnovers in the first half, but SU kept the lead in single-digits at the break by outrebounding SMC 26-17.

Salisbury continued to struggle from the field in the second half, converting only 13-of-39 (33.3%) field goals, but St. Mary’s didn’t fare much better, hitting only 11-of-29 (37.9%). After trailing by as many as 13 points in the first half and 16 points (64-48) with 6:58 remaining, the Gulls made several runs in an attempt to keep their home record perfect. A 10-1 run over a span of 1:54 helped SU pull to within 65-58 with 5:04 left in the contest. Monica Merkel (pictured), who scored 13 points and pulled down seven boards for the Gulls, keyed the run with four points on fast-break opportunities.

St. Mary’s held off Salisbury’s run. Taylor Yearwood scored four of her 15 points during a span of 1:54 as the Seahawks pushed the lead back to 10 points on two occasions. The lead grew to as much as the 12-point final for SMC despite the team hitting only 5-of-11 free throws in the final 1:17.

Christen Barney paced Salisbury with 17 points, five rebounds and three assists. Meghan Phillips hit 3-of-5 from behind the three-point arc to tally 13 points before fouling out and Kat Kordal scored nine points and pulled down seven boards. Salisbury outrebounded SMC, 60-41, and finished the game 31.4% of its shots from the field.

St. Mary’s Allie Scott scored 12 points and pulled down six rebounds at intermission and finished as the game’s leading scorer with 20 points, while recording 12 rebounds. Megan Uglik added 12 points and five boards and Allison Hartnett scored eight points. The Seahawks converted 31.4% of its field goals.

Salisbury will hit the road for the next two conference matchups. The Sea Gulls will travel to Catholic University for a key CAC game on Wednesday (5:30 p.m.), before visiting York College (Pa.) next Saturday (4 p.m.).

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Sea Gulls Edge Marymount in Double Overtime, 72-65
January 18, 2006

SALISBURY-MARYMOUNT BOXSCORE
SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury women’s basketball team, coming off their worst defeat of the season Saturday against nationally-ranked Mary Washington, returned home looking to rebound against Marymount University. The Sea Gulls (10-4, 4-1 CAC) forced overtime twice, but were able to hold on to defeat the Saints (11-5, 3-2 CAC), 72-65, on Wednesday night at the Maggs Gym. 

In the first half, Marymount held the advantage as they jumped out to an 8-3 lead in the first three minutes. Salisbury was able to get back into the game on the strength of a 12-4 run, but the Saints were able to stay with the Sea Gulls. At the end of the first half, Marymount held the advantage, 25-21. 

Salisbury opened the second half with a 14-3 run to take the eight-point, 35-27 lead with 15 minutes remaining in regulation. Marymount climbed back into the game over the next ten minutes, tying the score at 40 with four minutes remaining. Marymount and Salisbury benefited from key three-point shots and free-throws down the stretch as the score was tied at 50 at the end of regulation. 

Marymount controlled the tempo of the first overtime, but Salisbury senior guard Christen Barney (Runnemede, NJ/Overbrook) kept the Sea Gulls alive with a key lay-up with five seconds remaining to tie the score at 60 and force a second overtime. Salisbury controlled the action in the second overtime, hitting 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to put the game out of reach. 

Barney finished with 16 points on 4-of-15 shooting and recorded seven assists. Junior guard Jessica Mills (Ijamsville, MD/Urbana) also contributed 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-6 from beyond the three-point arc. Sophomore guard Monica Merkel (Frederick, MD/St. John’s Prospect), seeing her first game action since early December, scored 11 points off the bench on 5-of-16 shooting. Merkel also led the Sea Gulls in rebounds with 12. Senior forward Kiera Watkins (Springfield, VA/Lake Braddock) and freshman guard Lindsey Martin (Newton Square, PA/Villa Maria Academy) contributed 10 rebounds apiece. 

Senior guard Randi Jones (Warrenton, VA/Liberty) led the Saints with 18 points on 5-of-20 shooting. With her performance, Jones surpassed 1,000 career points with Marymount. Junior forward Kacee Grogan (Cincinnati, OH/St. Ursula) contributed 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Grogan and Jones recorded eight rebounds each to lead the team. 

Salisbury shot 28.9% (17-of-68) from the field, while Marymount shot 27.3% (16-of-60) from the field. Salisbury out-rebounded Marymount by a margin of 67 to 57. 

Salisbury will return to action Saturday as they host conference rival St. Mary’s College at 2:00 p.m. at the Maggs Gym.

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No. 7-ranked Mary Washington Routs Salisbury Women, 77-57
January 14, 2006

SALISBURY-MARY WASHINGTON BOXSCORE
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - The Salisbury women’s basketball team (9-4, 3-1 CAC), coming off a victory over Goucher College, fell Saturday to the No. 7 Eagles of Mary Washington (14-0, 4-0 CAC), 77-57. Senior guard Christen Barney (Runnemede, NJ/Overbrook) led all scorers with 17 points on 6-of-17 shooting.

The game was close early, as Salisbury and Mary Washington traded the lead five times in the first 10 minutes. With seven minutes left in the half, the Eagles made an 8-2 run to take control of the game. At the half, Mary Washington held a 24-21 lead. 

In the second half, the Eagles began with a 9-0 run and never looked back. Mary Washington pulled away from Salisbury on the strength their three-point shooting, hitting 8-of-10 shots from beyond the three-point arc in the second half. Salisbury was able to get within nine points of the Eagles, but they failed to mount a rally to get back into the game. The Eagles used sharp three-point shooting to pull away to their 20-point victory. 

In addition to Barney, two other Sea Gulls reached double figures in scoring. Junior guard Jessica Mills (Ijamsville, MD/Urbana) scored 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting and led the team in rebounds with five. Sophomore center Kat Kordal (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) scored 10 points on 5-of-18 shooting, with two rebounds and one block. 

Sophomore guard Amanda Bates (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park) led the Eagle attack with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including a perfect 5-of-5 from beyond the three-point arc. Freshman guard Sarah Flanagan (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) added 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the three-point arc. Junior forward Debbie Bruen (Centreville, VA/Paul VI) scored 10 points on 3-of-7 shooting and led the team with 11 rebounds. 

Salisbury shot 35.4% (23-of-65) from the field for the game, while Mary Washington shot 42.4% (25-of-59) from the field, including 50% in the second quarter. The Eagles out-rebounded the Sea Gulls by a margin of 48 to 37. 

Salisbury will look to get back to the win column Wednesday, January 18, as they host CAC conference rival Marymount University for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.

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Women's Basketball Returns Home, Tops Goucher, 76-66
January 11, 2006

 SALISBURY-GOUCHER BOXSCORE
SALISBURY, Md. – After losing two of three on the road to start the new calendar year, the Salisbury women’s basketball team (9-3, 3-0 CAC) returned home Wednesday night and defeated conference rival Goucher College (5-4, 1-2 CAC), 76-66. The team relied heavily upon the bench as they played without leading scorer Monica Merkel (Prince Frederick, MD/St. John’s Prospect), who is still battling sickness. 

Early in the first half, Salisbury and Goucher traded points. The Gophers were able to amass a brief three point lead eight minutes into the game, but Salisbury quickly took over from that point forward. At the half, the Sea Gulls had built a 14-point, 41-27 lead. 

In the second half, Salisbury kept constant pressure on the Goucher offense, amassing a game-high 19-point lead with five minutes remaining in the game. Goucher would mount a late rally, but it would come up short en route to the 10-point victory for Salisbury. 

Senior guard Christen Barney (Runnemede, NJ/Overbrook) led the Sea Gull attack, scoring 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the floor. Junior guard Jessica Mills (Ijamsville, MD/Urbana) chipped in 13 points on 5-of-15 shooting and eight rebounds.  

Freshman forward Marissa Manzo (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdan Central) and sophomore center Kat Kordal (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) were huge contributors inside for Salisbury. Kordal scored 10 points on 5-of-17 shooting and pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds. Manzo scored 11 points off the bench on 5-of-11 shooting and pulled down seven rebounds. 

Goucher’s Shadae Swan (Baltimore, MD/St. Frances Academy) led all scorers with 22 points on 7-of-18 shooting. Junior forward Francheska Guilfu (Bridgeport, CT/Preston) scored 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting and pulled down eight rebounds. Junior forward Freddie Newman-Blount (Lanham, MD/Bishop Ireton) scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting and led the Gophers on the glass with 11 rebounds. 

Salisbury collectively shot 36.0% (32-of-79) from the field, while Goucher shot 37.9% (22-of-58) from the field. Salisbury out-rebounded Goucher by a wide margin, 65-42. 

The women’s basketball team will return to action Saturday, as they travel to Fredericksburg, Virginia for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off against conference opponent Mary Washington. The Sea Gulls will return home next Wednesday, January 18, to host conference rival Marymount at 5:30 p.m. at Maggs Gym.

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Women's Basketball Falls to TCNJ Lions, 65-62
January 9, 2006

 SALISBURY-TCNJ BOXSCORE
EWING, NJ - The College of New Jersey bench outscored the Salisbury University bench 23-9 Monday night as the Lions won their fifth straight victory with a hard-fought 65-62 victory over the SU women’s basketball team at Packer Hall.

The loss was Salisbury’s second in three games as the Sea Gulls (8-3) will now look to keep their Capital Athletic Conference record unblemished (2-0) when they host Goucher College Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. TCNJ improved to 7-4 on the season.

The contest was even throughout as the score was tied eight times and the lead changed hands 11 times. Salisbury’s biggest lead was seven, while the Lions’ largest advantage was six late in the game.

Salisbury’s Kat Kordal led all scorers with 19 points, hitting 7-of-13 field goals and 5-of-5 from the charity stripe. She also had six rebounds as the Sea Gulls scored 33 points in the paint. Christen Barney was the only other SU player in double figures, throwing in 13 points, connecting on all five charity shots, while handing out four assists. Jessica Mills chipped in nine points and nine boards, and Kiera Watkins and Meghan Phillips both added six points. Phillips was performing in her first game back since breaking her nose last week.

The Gulls stayed close by hitting 13-of-15 (86.7%) from the free throw line. SU didn’t fare as well from the field, connecting on only 23-of-65 (35.4%) and only 23.1% (3-of-13) from behind the three-point arc.

The College of New Jersey, which converted 22-of-59 (37.3%) from the field, posted five players in double-figure scoring. Breanna Depken hit 7-of-12 field goals for 15 points, while Alexa Shields, Sara Best, Megan Hueter and Danica Miller scored 10 apiece. Depken also pulled down 10 rebounds.

Salisbury jumped out to a 7-0 lead before the Lions found the scoreboard in the opening minutes of the game. The Lions and the Sea Gulls would exchange scores throughout the first session as there were four ties and six lead changes before Salisbury would take a 33-32 lead into the locker room.

At 11:15 of the second half, Depken gave TCNJ a 42-41 lead, their first of the period. With 1:30 left to play, the Lions had their biggest lead of the half as TCNJ had a 61-55 lead on a basket by Miller. Salisbury answered with a three-pointer by Meghan Phillips with 58 seconds remaining.

With 15.2 seconds left to play, TCNJ led 63-60 as SU’s Barney went to the line to shoot two free throws and she hit both, pulling the Sea Gulls with in one, 63-62, before a foul sent Hueter to the line with 12 seconds remaining. She hit both putting TCNJ up 65-62 before time expired.

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SU Captures Consolation at Lady Monarch Classic
January 7, 2006

 SALISBURY-POTSDAM STATE BOXSCORE
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Salisbury University senior Kiera Watkins scored the 1,000th point of her career Saturday afternoon as the Sea Gull women’s basketball team bounced back from a setback to No.11-ranked Messiah Friday to capture the Consolation contest of the Lady Monarch Classic with an 86-72 victory over Potsdam State University at King’s College.

Watkins and senior teammate Christen Barney were each named to the all-tournament team as they combined 43 points, 16 rebounds and five assists against Potsdam as the Sea Gulls improved to 8-2 on the season. Barney led all scorers with a game-high 26 points, hitting 7-of-15 from the field and 12-of-15 from the charity stripe. She also pulled down five boards and handed out four assists in 29 minutes. Watkins canned 5-of-11 from the field and sank 5-of-5 from the charity stripe for 17 points. She also yanked down a game-high 11 boards.

SU junior guard Jessica Mills and sophomore Kat Kordal both scored 12 points to add to the Sea Gull attack. Mills pulled down nine rebounds and Kordal finished with five as Salisbury (8-2) won despite the absence of leading scorer Monica Merkel (22.6 ppg) and Meghan Phillips and hitting only 31.5% (23-of-73) and 30% (3-of-10) from behind the three-point arc.

Potsdam State (1-9), which hit 43.1% (25-of-58) from the field for the game, including 47.1% (16-of-34) in the second half, was led in scoring by Kathleen Lewis. Lewis hit 5-of-9 from the field for 14 points, while Katie Buzzell added 13 points and Amy Rich dropped in 10.

After Potsdam took a 16-10 lead on a three-point play by Ashley Schaad with 12:45 left in the first half, Salisbury went on a 7-0 run to take a 17-16 lead on a bucket by Watkins at 10:16. Later in the period the Gulls went on an 18-4 run to break the game open. The run was capped by a bucket by Kordal and a pair of free throws by Barney as SU went up 36-20 with 3:52 left in the half. SU led at intermission, 41-23.

No.11-ranked Messiah, an 87-72 winner over Salisbury Friday night, captured the Lady Monarch Classic championship with a 43-36 victory over King’s College.

All-Tournament Team
Amy Rich - Potsdam
Christen Barney - Salisbury
Kiera Watkins - Salisbury
Amy Reed - Messiah
Beth Jordan - King's

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Sea Gulls Fall to No.11-ranked Messiah College, 87-72
January 6, 2006

 SALISBURY-MESSIAH BOXSCORE
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The Salisbury University women’s basketball team dropped its second game in three outings and began the 2006 portion on a sour note as the Sea Gulls dropped an 87-72 decision to Messiah College Friday night at the Lady Monarch Classic at King’s College.

The Sea Gulls (7-2) continued to be short-handed, playing without the services of leading scorer Monica Merkel (illness) - who averages 22.6 points per game - and Meghan Phillips (broken nose - 10.3 ppg), battled to a 59-59 tie with 7:50 left. Messiah would slowly extend the advantage to 66-61 with 5:48 left on a bucket by Eli Cook. After Salisbury cut the lead to 68-65 on a bucket by Christen Barney with 4:31 remaining, Messiah closed out the game with a 19-7 run to put the game away.

Messiah placed five players in double figures scoring, headed by Cook with 17 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and five steals.  Sarah Ringer added 15 points and five assists, while Amy Reed scored 12 points. Gwen Avery netted 11 points with six boards while Lauren Schurr chipped in with 11 points.

Salisbury was led by Kat Kordal with 16 points and eight rebounds. Jessica Mills scored all 15 of her points in the first half while Christen Barney added 12 points, all in the second half, including her 1,000th career point.

Messiah will play for the championship Saturday at 3:00 p.m. against the winner of the other first round pairing between Potsdam State (1-7) and host King's College (5-5). Salisbury will meet the loser in the consolation game Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

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Sea Gulls Down Conference Foe York, 70-63
December 10, 2005

 SALISBURY-YORK BOXSCORE
SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury women’s basketball team (7-1, 2-0 CAC), playing without standout sophomore Monica Merkel (Frederick, MD/St. John’s Prospect) for the second consecutive game due to an illness, received contributions from their entire roster to defeat conference opponent York College (4-4, 1-1 CAC) , 70-63, Saturday at the Maggs Center. 

Salisbury jumped on top 7-0 early in the first half, but poor shooting allowed the Spartans to get into the game. The game was close going into halftime, and the Sea Gulls held the advantage, 29-23.  

In the second half, York stayed with the Sea Gulls, pulling to within three points at the 10:23 mark. The Sea Gulls, however, stretched the lead to 10 six minutes later and held off the Spartans to win by seven. 

Sophomore guard Meghan Phillips (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Borough) led the Sea Gulls in scoring with 12 points on 3-of-8 shooting. She also pulled down six rebounds and dished out five assists. Junior guard Jessica Mills (Ijamsville, MD/Urbana) scored eight points on 3-of-11 shooting and led the team in rebounds with 12.  

Senior forward Kiera Watkins (Springfield, VA/Lake Braddock) contributed nine points and six rebounds before fouling out late in the second half. Senior guard Christen Barney (Runnemede, NJ/Overbrook), 13 points away from 1,000 in her career coming into today’s contest, scored eight points on 2-of-16 shooting and recorded seven assists. 

The Spartans had three players in double figures, led by senior guard Heidi Miller (Gettysburg, PA/Gettysburg), who scored 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Junior guard Jess Kemp (York, PA/York Suburban) scored 12 points on the bench on 2-of-8 shooting and 6-of-9 shooting from the free throw stripe.           Sophomore forward Kristen Daly (Harrisburg, PA/Trinity) scored 10 points on 4-of-11 shooting.  Daly, Miller, and freshman forward Chanel Perez (Biglerville, PA/Gettysburg) each pulled down eight rebounds. 

Salisbury and York each suffered through poor shooting on the day. The Sea Gulls shot 34.3% (23-of-67) on the day, while the Spartans shot 35.9% (23-of-64) from the field. The Sea Gulls led York in rebounds, 50-45. 

The Salisbury women’s team will now enjoy their winter break and prepare for the Lady Monarch Classic tournament hosted by King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA on January 6th and 7th, 2006. Salisbury will play Messiah College at 6:00 p.m. on January 6th. Potsdam State and King’s College will follow at 8:00 p.m.

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Virginia Wesleyan Hands Gulls First Setback, 73-60
December 6, 2005

 SALISBURY-VIRGINIA WESLEYAN BOXSCORE
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Virginia Wesleyan College shot 57.6% (19-of-33)  from the field in the first half to build a 42-27 lead and never let the Salisbury University women’s basketball team all the way back as the Marlins continued their best start since the 1993-94 season with a 73-60 win over the Sea Gulls at the Batten Center Tuesday night.

The Sea Gulls (6-1), who suffered their initial loss of the season after starting the year with six straight victories, fought back in the second half, cutting the lead to eight points on two occasions in the final eight minutes, but they could never get over the hump against Virginia Wesleyan (5-2).

The Marlins won the contest despite converting only 14-of-31 (45.2%) from the free throw line. But VWC hit 50% (28-of-56) from the field for the game and outrebounded the Gulls 46-42. The Marlins cooled to just 9-of-23 (39.1%) from the field in the second half, but it was enough to record the win.

Salisbury struggled from the field, hitting only 34.4% (11-of-32) from the field in the first half and 35.1% (26-of-74) for the game.

Jessica Mills led the Salisbury attack. Despite hitting only 6-of-15 from the field, she scored 13 points and added six rebounds. Kiera Watkins added 10 points and six rebounds, Christen Barney dropped in eight points and Meghan Klug scored eight points and pulled down five boards. Kat Kordal scored seven points.

Heather Phillips and Nicole Thurston both scored 19 points for the Marlins. Thurston led all rebounders with 14. The pair combined to hit 14-of-24 from the field.

The Sea Gulls held their last lead with 12:44 of the first half, 15-14, on a jumper by Marissa Manzo. But SU was outscored 28-12 for the remainder of the period and trailed 42-27 at intermission. The Gulls didn’t cut the advantage below 10 points for the first 12 minutes of the second half, but couldn’t erase the deficit completely.

Salisbury will close out the 2005 portion of its scheduled Saturday when the Sea Gulls host Capital Athletic Conference opponent York College in the Maggs Center Saturday at 2 p.m.

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Salisbury's Merkel Named CAC Co-Player of the Week
December 5, 2005

SALISBURY, Md. - Salisbury University sophomore guard Monica Merkel (Frederick, Md./St. John’s at Prospect Hall) (pictured) and University of Mary Washington guard Lisa Tracy have been named the Co-Capital Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Players of the Week for the period ending Sunday.

Both Salisbury (6-0) and Mary Washington (6-0) remained undefeated on the season as Salisbury defeated league opponent Gallaudet, 94-59, on Wednesday before sweeping the 13th annual Salisbury Optimist Classic over the weekend with victories over Thiel College, 86-80, and Waynesburg College, 85-64. UMW knocked off Shenandoah, #22-ranked Catholic and St. Mary’s.

Merkel averaged 20.3 points per game over the three-game span, while shooting 55.1% (27-of-49) from the field. She also had 10 steals and 18 rebounds for the week and was named Most Valuable Player at the Optimist Classic.

For the season, Merkel leads the Sea Gulls in scoring, averaging 22.6 points per game, while hitting 53.2% (50-of-94) of her field goals and 70.6% (12-of-17) of her free throws. She is averaging 7.4 rebounds per game and has led SU in scoring in four of its six games this season. Her 26 points Saturday night against Waynesburg was her second-highest total of the season (27). Her nine boards Saturday was a team high and was the second time this season she has accomplished that feat.

The Sea Gulls will travel to Virginia Wesleyan Tuesday night for a 6:30 p.m. non-conference battle. Salisbury will close out the 2005 portion of its schedule Saturday at home against York College in a CAC matchup. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. in the Maggs Center.

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Sea Gulls Sting Yellow Jackets, 85-64, to Claim First in Tournament
December 3, 2005

SALISBURY-WAYNESBURG STATISTICS
SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury women’s basketball team, off to their best start since beginning the 2002-2003 season 5-1, improved their record to 6-0 on the season following a 85-64 victory over the Yellow Jackets of Waynesburg College (3-3), 85-64, in the women’s championship game in the 13th annual Salisbury Optimist Basketball Classic. 

The Sea Gulls were led offensively by sophomore guard Monica Merkel (Frederick, MD/St. John’s Prospect) with 26 points, shooting 12-of-19 from the field, pulled down nine rebounds and recorded seven assists on the game. Senior guard Christen Barney (Runnemede, NJ/Overbrook) scored 18 for the Sea Gulls on 6-of-13 shooting from the floor. Sophomore guard Meghan Phillips (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Borough) scored eight of the bench and recorded six steals on the evening. 

The Yellow Jackets had three players reach double figures, led by junior guard Katie Lewandowski (Pittsburgh, PA/North Catholic), who scored 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting. Senior guard Candice Eyerman (Cranberry Township, PA/Seneca Valley) scored 12 points on 4-of-15 shooting in 31 minutes. Junior guard Jenna Pratte (Rochester, PA/Rochester) scored 10 points of the bench on 4-of-7 shooting. 

Defensively, junior forward Denise Kennedy (Berlin, PA/Berlin-Brothersvalley) and freshman forward Michaelene Jones (Steubenville, OH/Steubenville) led the Yellow Jackets in rebounds with seven apiece. 

Waynesburg and Salisbury traded possession and points throughout the first half. Salisbury was able to stretch the lead by as much as seven points with 16:52 left in the half, but the Yellow Jackets closed the deficit to two by halftime, 41-39. 

In the second half, Salisbury came out of the locker room on fire, going on runs of 10-0 and 16-3. Salisbury kept the pressure on and extended the lead to the final 21 point margin. 

Waynesburg shot 40.6% in the first half (13-of-32), but struggled to a 29.0% (9-of-31) shooting performance in the second half. Salisbury shot 50.7% for the game (35-of-69), highlighted by a 59.4% performance (19-of-32) in the second half. 

Following the game, Sea Gulls Merkel and Barney were named to the All-Tournament team, with Merkel taking MVP honors. Joining Barney and Merkel on the team were Guilford College’s Jennifer King (Reidsville, NC/Rockingham County), Thiel College’s Amber Bodrick (Boardham, OH/Cardinal Mooney), and Waynesburg College’s Lewandowski. 

Salisbury looks to continue their hot start to the season Tuesday night, as they travel to Norfolk, VA to take on Virginia Wesleyan College. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The team returns home next Saturday, as they host conference opponent York College at the Maggs Center at 2:00 p.m.

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Guilford Tops Thiel, 64-46, Claims Third in Tournament
December 3, 2005

GUILFORD-THIEL BOXSCORE
SALISBURY, Md. - Senior guard Jennifer King (Reidsville, NC/Rockingham County) scored 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead the Quakers (1-4) to a 64-46 victory over the Tomcats of Thiel College (1-6). Guilford claims third place in the 13th annual Salisbury Optimist Basketball Classic tournament. 

The game was close in the first half, as the teams traded points. Guilford would then take the lead at the 16:22 mark of the first half and kept the lead for the rest of the game. 

In the second half, Thiel would close to within seven points at the 9:36 mark. Guilford, however, went on a 9-0 run to put away the game for good. 

Along with King, Guilford was led offensively by freshman Kristine Ellis (Winston-Salem, NC/East Forsyth) who scored 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting and led the team with 16 rebounds. Freshman Heather Koehler (Lexington, VA/Rockbridge City) scored 10 points of the bench and pulled down nine rebounds. 

For Thiel, freshman forward Amber Bodrick (Boardman, OH/Cardinal Mooney) and junior forward Fontella Jones (Farrell, PA/Farrell) each scored 14 to pace the Tomcat attack. Bodrick and Jones also led the team in rebounds with eight a piece. 

Thiel was hurt in the first half by poor shooting from the floor, shooting 18.9% (7-of-37) from the field. They improved in the second half, shooting 32.3% (10-of-31), but it was not enough to stop Guilford. The Quakers shot 44.4% in the first half (12-of-27) and 42.4% in the second half (14-of-33).

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Sea Gulls Advance to Optimist Title Game with 86-80 Win
December 2, 2005

SALISBURY-THIEL BOXSCORE | OPTIMIST WOMEN'S SCHEDULE
 SALISBURY, Md. -The Salisbury University women’s basketball team forced  25 turnover by Thiel College and outrebounded the Tomcats 48-44 en route to an 86-80 victory on Friday in the opening round of the 13th Annual Salisbury Optimist Classic at the Maggs Physical Activities Center.

The unbeaten Sea Gulls (5-0) move into Saturday’s Championship game at 6 p.m. when Salisbury meets Waynesburg College (3-2), a 66-61 winner over Guilford College earlier Friday. Guilford will face Thiel in the Consolation matchup Saturday at 1 p.m.

Five Salisbury players scored in double figures, led by Kiera Watkins’ (Springfield, Va./Lake Braddock) 20 points and 10 rebounds. She hit 7-of-9 from the field in 27 minutes of action. Monica Merkel (Frederick, Md./St. John’s  Prospect Hall) added 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, while handing out a team-high four assists. Meghan Phillips (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Borough) hit 4-of-7 from behind the three-point arc to finish with 14 points, Christen Barney (Runnemede, NJ/Overbrook) added 13 points and Kat Kordal (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) scored 10 points while pulling down six boards.

Salisbury finished the game hitting 39.5% (30-of-76) from the field. After hitting 44.4% (16-of-36) in the first half, the Gulls cooled to 35% (14-of-40) in the final 20 minutes. SU also hit 35.7% (5-of-14) from behind the three-point arc and 21-of-25 (84%) of its free throws.

Amber Bodrick (Boardman, OH) paced the Tomcats with 31 points, connecting on 12-of-21 from the field. She also was the game’s top rebounder with 16. Fontella Jones (Farrell, Pa.) dropped in 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field, while pulling down five rebounds. Heather Abate (Kittanning, Pa.) was in double figures with 10 points, while cashing in seven boards.

After taking a seven-point lead, 18-11, at the 14:33 mark of the first half, Thiel went on a 12-0 run over the next 3:38 to open up a 23-18 lead. After stretching the lead to 27-21 a short time later, the Tomcats saw Salisbury whittle away at the advantage and eventually take a 49-47 lead at intermission.

Salisbury slowly began opening up a lead in the second half, taking a 69-60 lead with 9:55 remaining when Watkins hit a short jumper off an assist from Merkel.

Thiel wouldn’t quit, eventually pulling to within two, 82-80, with 1:23 remaining on a jumper by Jones. But Merkel hit a pair of free throws and Barney connected on 2-of-4 from the charity stripe to put the game away.

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Waynesburg Nips Guilford, 66-61, Advance in Optimist Classic
December 2, 2005

WAYNESBURG-GUILFORD BOXSCORE | OPTIMIST WOMEN'S SCHEDULE
 SALISBURY, Md. – Four Waynesburg College Yellow Jacket starters scored in double digits in Friday's 66-61 comeback win over Guilford (N.C.) College at the 13th annual Salisbury (Md.) Optimist Classic. Waynesburg mounted a 12-0 run with 6:26 left in the game to take its first lead of the game against the Quakers before finishing the game on a 19-3 swing. With the victory, the Yellow Jackets improved to 3-2 and are averaging over 66 points a game, their highest output in recent history.

The field-goal shooting told the story of the contest, as Guilford boasted a 38-24 halftime lead after shooting over 48 percent (16 of 33) and Waynesburg shot under 30 percent. However, the Yellow Jacket offense made 50 percent (15 of 30) of their shots in the second half, while their defense limited the Quakers to just 23 points on 8-of-32 attempts (25 percent).

Junior guard Katie Lewandowski (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Catholic) scored a team-high 19 points against the Quakers on 6-of-14 shooting. The Pittsburgh native has reached double digits in all five games this season and is averaging a career and team-best 17 points/game.

Junior transfer forward Denise Kennedy (Berlin, Pa./Berlin-Brothersvalley) continued her impressive play with the Yellow Jackets, as she bucketed 17 points, while registering nine rebounds (four offensive, five defensive) on Friday afternoon. Through five games, Kennedy leads the team with 8.2 rebounds/game and ranks third with 13.0 points/game, both of which far surpass her averages last season while at Pitt-Greensburg.

Kennedy and freshman Michaelene Jones (Steubenville, Ohio/Steubenville) combined for seven of the 12 offensive rebounds against the Quakers, which were converted into 13 points.

Jones tied her season high of 11 points and grabbed four rebounds, including three on the offensive end, against Guilford, who now is winless through four games (0-4).

Waynesburg started cutting into the Quaker halftime lead in the opening five-plus minutes, as it when on an 11-3 run. The Guilford lead kept bouncing back-and-forth between double figures until the final 6:26 of the game when senior guard Candice Eyerman (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) hit a pair of three-pointers to help turn the momentum.

Eyerman finished the game with 13 points despite struggling from beyond the arc. The four-year starter finished 5 of 13 from the floor, but made a season-low 30 percent (3 of 10) of her three-pointers. In addition to her scoring, Eyerman contributed with five rebounds and a team-best four assists.

The Yellow Jackets took advantage of 23 Quaker fouls, as they made 70 percent (14 of 20) of their free thows, and committed a season-low nine.

Waynesburg also set a season-low in turnovers with 12 after losing a combined 49 possessions via turnovers the previous two games.

Jennifer King led Guilford with nine rebounds and a game-high 23 points in the loss

Waynesburg will now play the winner of the Salisbury-Thiel contest tomorrow, Sat., Dec. 3, at 6 p.m. The Yellow Jackets lost to the host Sea Gulls in last season's opening round match-up before they faced the Tomcats twice in conference play.

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Salisbury Blows by Bison in CAC Opener, 94-59
November 30, 2005

SALISBURY-GALLAUDET BOXSCORE
 SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury University women’s basketball team outrebounded Gallaudet University, 60-40, and score 50 points in the paint Wednesday night as the Sea Gulls cruised to their Capital Athletic Conference opening win on the road, 94-59.

Salisbury (4-0, 1-0 CAC) remained unbeaten by receiving balanced scoring. Monica Merkel hit 8-of-16 field goals to lead all scorers with 16 points. Kiera Watkins was 5-of-7 from the field and finished with 14 points, while pulling down a team-high 12 boards. Marissa Manzo scored 10 points and tallied seven rebounds, Christen Barney added nine points, Katie MacFarland scored eight points and had three rebounds and Jenna Peters dished out a game-high six assists.

Gallaudet placed five players in double-figures in the scoring column. Amanda Huser scored 15 points, Priscilla Biskupiak finished with 12 points and added 17 rebounds, Kallie Williams scored 12 points and Jessica Salisbury and Johanna Karmgard each added 10.

Salisbury took a commanding 46-23 lead at the half even though the Gulls only hit 19-of-48 (39.6%) of their field goals. The Sea Gulls, who forced 34 turnovers in the game while committing only 20 on offense, held the Bison to only 8-of-25 shooting (32%) in the first 20 minutes.

The Sea Gulls held a 50-24 advantage in points scored in the lane and a 28-12 advantage on points off turnovers.

SU will return to action Friday when the Sea Gulls host the 13th Annual Optimist Classic at the Maggs Physical Activities Center. Waynesburg College will face Guilford College in the opener at 1 p.m. and Salisbury will take on Thiel College at 6 p.m. The women’s Consolation game is set for Saturday at 1 p.m., with the Championship game tipping off at 6 p.m.

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Sea Gulls Down Wesley College, 91-81
November 22, 2005

SALISBURY-WESLEY BOXSCORE
 DOVER, De. - The Salisbury women’s basketball team (3-0) continued their torrid start to the 2005 campaign with a 91-81 victory over Wesley College (1-2) at the Wentworth Gymnasium in Dover, Delaware on Tuesday Night. Sophomore standout Monica Merkel (Frederick, MD/St. John’s Prospect)  again led the Sea Gulls in scoring with 25 points on 12 for 26 shooting. She also pulled down 11 rebounds in the victory.

Three other Sea Gulls joined Merkel in double digits. Senior Christen Barney (Runnemede, NJ/Overbrook) scored 18 and pulled down four rebounds. Sophomore Meghan Phillips (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Borough) scored 16 points off the bench, including a perfect three for three from three-point range. Center Kat Kordal (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) managed to score 14 points despite getting into foul trouble.

Wesley’s T’Neisha Turner led all scorers with 39 points on 11 of 25 shooting from the field, including five of 12 from the three point arc. Tricia Casarotto contributed 20 points on 10 for 14 shooting and seven rebounds for Wesley.

Salisbury shot 42.1% in the first half (16-38), compared to Wesley’s 44.1% (15-34), but Salisbury held the halftime lead, 43-38. Salisbury earned the late edge in the game by shooting 50% from the field (16-32) for 48 points in the second half compared to another 44.1% performance (15-34) from the field by Wesley. Salisbury edged Wesley in total rebounds, 42-38.

The Sea Gulls will now enjoy a thanksgiving break and return to action Wednesday, November 30, when they travel to Washington, D.C. to take on CAC conference opponent Gallaudet University, with tip-off set for 6:00 p.m. The team will return home Friday, December 2 to host the two-day Salisbury Optimist Classic at Maggs Gym. Salisbury will open with Thiel College at 6:00 p.m., with Guilford College and Waynesburg College playing earlier at 1:00 p.m.

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Sea Gulls Rout Eastern University, 75-39
November 19, 2005

SALISBURY-EASTERN BOXSCORE | SEASON STATISTICS
 GLASSBORO, NJ –  Sophomore guard Monica Merkel (Frederick, MD/St. John’s Prospect Hall) scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Salisbury University over Eastern University, 75-39, in the Holiday Inn Runnemede Classic on Saturday. 

Salisbury has an overall record of 2-0 while Neumann is 0-2 on the season.  In the first round of the classic on Friday, Salisbury defeated Neumann, 99-82, while host Rowan had a 77-59 win over Eastern.

Merkel was 11 for 19 from the floor with one three and four for seven from the line.  Sophomore guard Meghan Phillips (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Borough) contributed with nine points and seven boards while senior guard Christen Barney (Runnemede, NJ/Overbrook) added eight points. 

Salisbury senior forward Kiera Watkins (Springfield, VA/Lake Braddock) and Barney were named to the All-Classic team.  They were joined by Eastern sophomore guard Patrice Freeman (New Castle, DE/New Castle Baptist).   

Eastern was led by center Elizabeth Luehman with 13 points and eight rebounds.  Forward Abbey Reed followed with 10 points and six boards.  Freeman totaled seven points and seven rebounds. 

At the half, the Seagulls were ahead 36-16.  Merkel scored 11 of her 27 points in the first period.  At 17:03, Salisbury led by one (5-4).  The Seagulls pulled away with 12 straight points in a six minute span to lead 17-4..  Watkins had two baskets in the run.  Salisbury had eight unanswered points for an 18 point advantage (30-12) with 2:55 left.       

In the final half, Merkel had a layup and a foul shot to lead 49-20 at 16:39.  The Seagulls led by 36 (58-22) after Phillips hit a basket.  Salisbury had its biggest margin of 40 (69-29) after Merkel’s jumper with 5:57 remaining in the game. 

The women’s basketball team will return to action Tuesday as they travel to Dover, Delaware to take on the Wolverines of Wesley. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

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Sea Gulls Sprint Out of Blocks, Down Neumann, 99-82
November 18, 2005

SALISBURY-NEUMANN BOXSCORE | SEASON STATISTICS
 GLASSBORO, N.J. - Four players scored in double figures to lead the Salisbury University women’s basketball team past Neumann College, 99-82, in the opening round of the Holiday Inn Runnemede Women’s Basketball Classic Friday night at Rowan University.

It was the season opener for both teams. In the second day of the classic on Saturday, Salisbury (1-0) plays Eastern University at 5 p.m. followed by Neumann against host Rowan University at 7 p.m.

Salisbury senior guard Christen Barney (Runnemede, NJ/Overbrook) led Salisbury with 21 points.  Senior forward Kiera Wakins (Springfield, VA/Lake Braddock) followed with 18 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. SU sophomore guard Meghan Phillips (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Borough) and junior guard Jessica Mills (Ijamsville, MD/Urbana) added 16 and 14 points respectively. 

For Neumann, senior forward Kirsten Patton (Odessa, DE/Padua Academy) scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.  Senior forward Nellie Mixon (Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic) totaled 18 points and freshman guard Ashley Pearsal (Philadelphia, PA/Pre Charter) had 18.  Sophomore forward Ashley Leonard (King of Prussia, NJ/Upper Merion) grabbed 10 rebounds. 

Salisbury started the game with an 11-4 run in the first four minutes.  Neumann came back to pull within three points (13-10) at 13:55 after a layup by freshman guard Tara DiPhillipo (Clifton, PA/Archbishop Predergast).  The Sea Gulls gradually built a 12 point lead (28-16) with 9:04 remaining.  The Knights trailed by 12 (46-34) after Pearsal made a three-point play at 2:34.

Salisbury answered with six straight points for a 52-34 advantage at the half. Junior guard Katie MacFarland  (Laurel, MD/Atholton) hit a three-pointer followed by a free throw and a basket by junior forward Meghan Klug (Pasadena, MD/Chesapeake).   

Twice in the second half, Salisbury was ahead by 20 points, with the last time at 13:45 (62-42) after Klug’s foul shot. With 6:35 left, the Sea Gulls were ahead 76-60.  The Knights came within eight points, 76-68, after scoring eight straight points, four from Pearsal.

Salisbury answered with six points to go up by 14, 82-68, at the 4:09 mark.  Neumann pulled within 10 points (90-80) with 1:31 left, but Salisbury ended the game with a 9-2 run.

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Salisbury Women's Basketball to Put Experience to Work
SEASON PREVIEW
November 8, 2005

BASKETBALL QUICK FACTS | 2005-06 ROSTER | 2005-06 SCHEDULE
 SALISBURY, Md. - Entering last season, the Salisbury University women’s basketball team looked to improve on its .500 finish from the previous season.  By season’s end, the team was on the brink of a conference championship and an NCAA playoff berth until the Sea Gulls fell to the Eagles of Mary Washington, 84-62, in February.

This season, the team looks to build on the experience of reaching the conference finals and continue to improve its play throughout the season. Women’s basketball head coach Bridget Benshetler, entering her 16th season with the team, hopes to build off of that experience. "We weren’t (advancing to the latter rounds of the CAC tournament) for two years, and we are used to being there," said Benshetler. "I think it’s the experience (of reaching the final game) and they know what it takes to get there."

The Sea Gulls welcome back three starters, senior and 2004-05 all-CAC second team guard Christen Barney (Runnemede, NJ/Overbrook), senior and 2004-05 all-CAC first team forward Kiera Watkins (Springfield, VA/Lake Braddock), and sophomore center Kat Kordal (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) to the lineup.

Barney led the team last season in scoring with 12.0 points per game and tied for the team lead with Gen Olds - who graduated from the squad - in steals with 44. Watkins was second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.7 points per game and pulled down and average of seven rebounds to lead the team. Kordal was third on the team in scoring, averaging 9.8 points per game, 6.1 rebounds per game and led the team with 18 blocks.

The team also welcomed back six key contributors to the squad, whether it was as an occasional starter or a key player off the bench. Those players back include junior forward Meghan Klug (Pasadena, MD/Chesapeake), junior guards Megan Dowdy (Gaithersburg, MD/Quince Orchard), Katie MacFarland (Laurel, MD/Atholton), Jessica Mills (Ijamsville, MD/Urbana), and Jenna Peters (Alexandria, VA/Edison); and sophomore guard Meghan Phillips (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Borough).

"I feel really good about the players coming back," said Benshetler. "Everyone seems to be improving their roles.  They did a lot of work over the summer and worked very hard in the preseason and it’s paid off."

The Gulls welcome in five newcomers to the team this season. "We have five new recruits and every one of them has panned out," said Benshetler. They include freshman forwards Katie Barrett (Ellicott City, MD/Centennial) and      Marissa Manzo (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdan Central), freshman guards Christina Eury (Germantown, MD/Damascus) and Lindsay Martin (Newton Square, PA/Villa Maria Academy), and sophomore guards Monica Merkel (Frederick, MD/St. John’s Prospect), a transfer from Hartford Community College, and Tanya Traeger (Sterling, VA/Notre Dame Academy).

The team also made another important addition as Benshetler welcomed Gen Olds as an assistant coach this season. "She is a devout loyalist to me, to this program and to this university," said Benshetler. "She’s been one of the best, if not the best leaders I’ve had here.  She knows how to recruit and can sell (the university) honestly. She is a great teacher, so she will be invaluable to the program.  She will be a huge asset to this team because she knew exactly what I wanted (on the court) in the past and she always does things the right way."

The Sea Gulls again face a challenging schedule as the season begins. "We always try to schedule the toughest games out of our region," said Benshetler. "It really doesn’t matter, because (the CAC) is a tough conference, the strongest in basketball from top to bottom. Our schedule is strong and solid; it needs to be because every game is tough in basketball."

The Sea Gulls open the 2005-2006 regular season on the road as they travel to Glassboro, NJ to participate in the Rowan Tournament on Friday and Saturday, November 18-19. 

The Sea Gulls open their home schedule Friday, December 2, when they host Guilford College, Thiel College, and Waynesburg College in the Salisbury Optimist Classic in the Maggs Center. Salisbury will play Thiel at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Game time on Saturday for the Gulls is contingent on the results of Friday’s contests.

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