Women's College Basketball
Quinnipiac University 91, Rider University 53
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game

LAWRENCEVILLE—The Rider University women's basketball team lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to regular season champion Quinnipiac University on Thursday evening in Alumni Gymnasium.

For Rider (11-18, 8-11 MAAC), sophomore Julia Duggan (Marmora/Ocean City) had 10 points and five rebounds.

“Quinnipiac was terrific,” said head coach Lynn Milligan.  “They started the game red hot and and we gave up a lot of transition looks.  They threw the first punch and we didn't respond.”

Quinnipiac (27-3, 19-0 MAAC) won for the 17th straight time by using a 17-0 run in the opening 5:18 of the game.

The Broncs responded with a 5-0 run, three points by senior Kornelija Valiuskyte (Siauliai, Lithuania) to cut the Bobcat lead to 12.  Valiuskyte finished with four points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal in 18 minutes of play.

Quinnipiac scored the next 10 straight points and eventually led 54-19 at the half.

The Bobcats opened the second half by scoring 14 of the first 15 points, pushing the Rider deficit to 50 with 16:11 left in the game.

Rider out-scored the Bobcats 16-4 in the last 5:30 of the game for the final score, five points by sophomore Stephanie Mason (Jackson/Jackson Memorial) who finished with eight points in 10 minutes off the bench.

The Bobcats were led by 18 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks from Val Driscoll who was six for six from the floor and six for six from the free throw line in 18 minutes of play.

Quinnipiac also got 11 points and 14 assists from Gillian Abshire.

The Bobcats had 19 assists on 27 field goals, shot 10-19 from three-point range and out-rebounded Rider 51-40.

Also for the Broncs, senior Marritta Gillcrease (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry Traditional) had two points, seven rebounds and four blocks with senior Lashay Banks (Philadelphia, Pa./Prep Charter) and sophomore Robin Perkins (Willingboro/Trenton Catholic) adding nine points each.

Banks also had eight rebounds and two blocks in 26 minutes of play.

Quinnipiac improved to 5-0 all-time against Rider and the Bobcats swept the season series after winning 96-54 in Hamden, Connecticut on February 7.

“If you want to be the best, you have to perform better against the best and we obviously didn't do that,” Milligan added.

Rider hosts Marist College on Saturday and prior to the game, the Broncs will honor its graduating senior class of Valiuskyte, Banks, Gillcrease and Emily Fazzini (Wayne, Pa./Archbishop Carroll).

-RU-