#3/4 Women's Basketball Falls Short of East Region Title to Daemen
WALTHAM, Mass. - After going on a 10-point run in the third and getting within three points in the fourth quarter, The Rams were unable to hold off the Wildcats offense in the final stretch as the #3/4 ranked and #2 ranked in the region Thomas Jefferson University women's basketball team (32-2) dropped in the NCAA East Region Finals to #6 regionally ranked Daemen University (23-7) in Monday night action.
WHAT HAPPENED
The first quarter was even at 4-4 before the Rams had their first run of the day as they went 10-4 over the Wildcats. Cassie Murphy had six points in the first quarter, scoring four during that run. Morgan Robinson and Emma Kuczynski each had a basket during that stretch. Daemen hit a basket and made the and-one to trail the Rams 16-13 into the second quarter.
Daemen took the next six points to jump ahead 19-16 before Emily Keehfuss made a three to tie it up. Both teams traded baskets, with Emily Spratt making her shot but the Wildcats proceeded to make a 11-4 run to conclude the second quarter and head to the break up 33-26.
The Rams had a surge to begin the third quarter, going on a 10-0 run to get back ahead 36-33. Kuczynski, Murphy, Haley Meinel, and Sam Yencha all had a score during that stretch to help Jefferson push ahead of Daemen. After trading baskets for a few possessions, the Wildcats pushed back once again as they finished the third on a 12-2 run to hold a 49-40 in the final quarter. Cecilia Lapertosa, Julia Hauer, Alahna Paige, and Sophie Auer all contributed to get Daemen back in the game.
Kuczynski scored five straight points in the last period as the Rams had another run, this time a 11-3 run that got Jefferson within one point, 52-51, with 5:40 left in the game. Claire Pikett and Paige both had three pointers to establish a seven point cushion. Meinel made her own shot from beyond the arc to get Jefferson closer, but Daemen ended the quarter outscoring the Rams 11-8 in the final four minutes as the Wildcats defeated Jefferson 69-62 to win their second NCAA East Region Championship in five years.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Cassie Murphy: 15 points on 4-of-9 shooting, 7-8 FT, 6 rebounds
Haley Meinel: 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting, 3 assists, 3 steals
Morgan Robinson: 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals
Emma Kuczynski: 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting, 2 rebounds
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Cassie Murphy and Haley Meinel were named to the NCAA East Region All-Tournament Team. Alahna Paige was named the All-Tournament Most Oustanding Player.
NCAA East Region All-Tournament Team
Alahna Paige, Daemen, Most Outstanding Player
Natalie Angeletti, Daemen
Cassie Murphy, Jefferson
Haley Meinel, Jefferson
Molly Stokes, Assumption
RECORDS
Jefferson concludes their season with a historic run, winning 32 games on the year and ending on a 23-game win streak which are both school records. Meinel ended with 422 career steals, second in program history, and 1,812 points, sixth most in Jefferson history, and seventh ranked among all Rams with 132 career blocks. Morgan Robinson finished her career with a program record 826 career assists while scoring 1,067 points while having 798 rebounds and 292 steals, with her steals third most in Jefferson history. Keehfuss finishes her time with the Rams scoring 702 points, making 153-of-428 from beyond the arc while grabbing 234 rebounds.
