MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (Jan. 3, 2009) – The Saint Francis women's basketball team scored 20 points off of turnovers, but fell for the first time in Northeast Conference action to rival Robert Morris by a score of 79-59 on Saturday afternoon at the Sewall Center in Moon Township.
The Flash, who now fall to 2-1 in the league, will continue on to Charlottesville, Va., where they will take on the Virginia Cavaliers in a non-conference match up on January 5 at 7 p.m.
Samantha Leach (Mount Sterling, Ohio/Miami Trace) (Mount Sterling, Ohio/Miami Trace) had the first shot of the game just 9 seconds in, but was blocked by RMU's Sade Logan. Saint Francis returned the favor soon after, with Janie Killian (Verona, Pa./Penn Hills) (Verona, Pa./Penn Hills) blocking a shot by Monica Jones.
The Red Flash were able to score the first points of the game on a jumper by Leach, but a quick foul sent Kendra Williams to the free-throw line where she came away with 2 points. Jones then sunk a three-point shot to give the Colonials their first lead of the game.
Robert Morris was able to hang onto the lead for most of the first half before the Flash battled back to tie the game at 14-14 on a jumper by Leach with 12:28 remaining in the first half. Logan then made a three-point shot to regain a lead that RMU would never surrender.
Though the Flash were able to bring it within one point twice, they went into the locker room at halftime down 45-30.
The second half didn't fare much better for Saint Francis, as Monet Johnson scored the first two points of the half for the Colonials, who went on a 14-0 run soon after and took a 63-34 lead. The Flash scored again with 12:25 remaining on a lay up by Kelsey Caruthers (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor). RMU battled back with Monica Jones scoring on a lay up and a three-point shot to give the Colonials a 32 point lead, their largest of the game.
Brittany Lilley (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) sunk a three-pointer and 2 free-throws, and Quinessa Johnson (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) (West Chester, Pa./Lakota West) also made a three-point shot to decrease the deficit to 27 points with 5:35 left to play. The Flash went on an 11-2 run to end the game, but it wasn't enough to erase the deficit as they ended up 20 points short.
Logan had 27 points and 4 blocks for the Colonials, who won the 2007-08 NEC Championship. She finished the game 7-of-13 on three-point shots. Johnson had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Jones finished the night with 18 points.
The Colonials shot 47.1 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from the free-throw line. They were 10-24 on three-point shots. They were sent to the line 6 times.
Lilley led the way for SFU with 15 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals while Leach finished the night with 12 points and 2 steals. Johnson rounded out the players in double digits with 10 points and 4 rebounds. Allison Daly (Harrisburg, Pa./Trinity) (Harrisburg, Pa./Trinity) and Killian each had a blocked shot for the Red Flash.
The Flash finished the night 21-of-67 (31.3 %) from the field and 13-of-17 on the free-throw line. Lilley was a perfect 6-for-6 from the line.
