Women's College Basketball
Fairfield University 69, Rider University 60
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game
FAIRFIELD, Conn.--Freshman Caitlin Bopp (Baltimore, Md./Inst. Of Notre Dame) recorded her 10th career 'double-double' with 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Rider University women's basketball team lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Fairfield Sunday afternoon.
Bopp also had a career-high four blocks in 28 minutes of action.
"I'm proud of Caitlin's effort every day," said head coach Lynn Milligan. "If she doesn't get a 'double-double', you are almost disappointed because you expect that production out of her each time on the floor. She has a nose for the ball and plays hard."
Trailing by 20, Rider (4-23, 2-14 MAAC) scored 24 of the next 32 points, eight points by Bopp, a four-time MAAC Rookie of the Week honoree, and seven points by junior Cintella Spotwood (Trenton/Trenton Central) to get within four (60-56) with three minutes left.
"We got it to four and got a stop and actually got the shot we wanted but couldn't knock it down," said Milligan. "Our offense didn't start off the second very well and that's the disappointing part. I shouldn't have to pull the starters out of the game to wake them up and send a message."
Spotwood finished with 11 points in 30 minutes.
Two free throws by Bopp got the Broncs within four again (62-58) with 1:34 left before Fairfield hit seven free throws down the stretch for the final score.
"I am happy that we battled and gave ourselves a chance to win the game," Milligan said.
Fairfield went to the line 28 times, making 20 with Rider going six for 11 at the charity stripe. The Broncs were 19 for 19 from the line against Saint Peter's Friday night.
Leading 35-25, Fairfield (15-12, 9-7 MAAC) opened the second half on a 4-0 run before freshman Carleigh Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) got the Broncs within 12 with 18:20 left in the game.
C. Brown finished with nine points, five rebounds, two assists and a block.
The Stags responded by scoring 13 of the next 18 points, opening up their largest lead of the game, 52-32 with 12:50 left in the game.
Fairfield scored the first five points of the game before a three-pointer by Sepulveda sparked a 5-0 Rider run as the Broncs tied the game four minutes in.
Leading 13-10, Fairfield scored 15 of the next 20 points, opening up a 26-15 lead with six minutes left in the opening half.
An offensive rebound and layup by Bopp and a jumper by Spotwood cut the Stag lead to nine (28-19) with five minutes left before intermission.
Fairfield responded with a 4-0 run to take a 32-19 lead with 3:33 left before halftime.
Senior Amanda Sepulveda (Perth Amboy/Hun) and freshman Dior Brown (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby) each hit two-point shots with under two minutes remaining, cutting the Stag lead to 35-25 at the half. The Bronc defense held Fairfield without a field goal for the final 4:21 of the first period.
Sepulveda had 11 points for the Broncs with D. Brown finishing with six points and four rebounds before fouling out.
Sepulveda passed Patricka Smith (1,105 points from 1995-98), Lisa Federici (1,105 points from 1981-84) and Tanya Cross (1,098 points from 1999-2002) on Rider's all-time scoring list and now has 1,106 points, 11th best all-time. Sepulveda had three assists and has 272 in her Rider career, 12th best all-time.
Stephanie Geehan led the Stags with 22 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks, three assists and two steals in 40 minutes. Geehan also scored her 1,000th career point in the second half.
"Geehan is a senior and is playing outstanding basketball," Milligan said. "I told our assistants before the game that I think she is the best player in the league. It is so hard to guard her, you go big or go small and she is also strong on defense and blocks shots. She is hard to stop."
Fairfield has won five in a row.
Rider held a 46-35 advantage on the boards but turned the ball over 23 times to only 11 for the Stags.
This was the 29th meeting between Rider and Fairfield with the Stags winning 26 times. Fairfield defeated the Broncs in Lawrenceville 51-45 on January 22.
Rider hosts Siena at 4:30pm on Friday afternoon in Alumni Gymnasium on the Lawrenceville campus. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU. Rider will honor its three seniors, Melissa Kowalczyk (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown), Stephanie Wisniewski (Levittown, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie) and Amanda Sepulveda (Perth Amboy/Hun) prior to the game.
"Siena has some great shooters so we will have to do a good job on their perimeter players," Milligan said about the Saints. "They have two legitimate post players and run a good offense. We are also going to have to win the battle on the boards."
Siena defeated Rider 57-43 in Loudonville, New York on January 24 and the Saints are 9-16, 7-9 in the MAAC after losing at Marist 71-52 Sunday afternoon.
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