MIDDLETOWN, CT - Saint Joseph's fell to 7-6 overall with a 62-61 loss to Wesleyan University (6-5) in non-conference women's basketball action on Sunday afternoon. The Monks led for the majority of the contest, but the Cardinals scored the final basket of the game with just under 7 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

Sophomore Eileen Gaffney scored a layup from the left side with :06.8 remaining to give Wesleyan a 62-61 lead, completing her double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, and sophomore Sam LaCroce blocked the final Saint Joseph's shot by sophomore Allie Parent as time expired to preserve the women's basketball win for the Cardinals.  

It was only the second meeting of the teams, complementing the 60-50 Wesleyan victory at Saint Joseph's during a tournament Dec. 6, 2003.

Saint Joseph's, fresh off a GNAC victory over nationally ranked Emmanuel earlier in the week, used a 10-0 run over a span of 2:20 to break a 41-41 tie with 10:26 to go and turn it into the game's largest lead at 51-41 with 8:05 remaining.  Four different players factored in the 10 points which featured a traditional three-point play by senior Allison Miner to get the burst started, and a three-point basket by sophomore Megan McDevitt as she finished the game with four treys and 14 points. Senior Meghan Daigle capped the streak with a basket as she led the Monks in scoring with a game-high 18 points while recording a double-double with 10 rebounds.   

But Wesleyan rallied to tie the game at 56-56 on a steal and drive to the basket by sophomore Emily Lippe with 2:29 on the clock.  A second-chance hoop by LaCroce (10 points, three blocks) at 2:05 put Wesleyan ahead 58-56.  Saint Joseph's had led most of the game as the Cardinals held a brief edge at 14-13 in the first half as well as the opening basket.  Otherwise, the Monks held the lead for 19 of the opening 20 minutes and only trailed for a four-minute span in the second half shortly before going on the 10-0 run.  

In total, Wesleyan led for just six minutes over the course of the contest.  A free throw and basket by Parent (nine points, 11 boards) gave the lead back to the Monks at 59-58 with 1:30 to go.  After an exchange of turnovers, the Cardinals took a 60-59 lead on a drive to the hoop by junior Erin Gold with: 37 showing on the clock.  At: 24, senior Carolyn Freeman went to the line for Saint Joseph's.  She missed both attempts but great hustle from Daigle to chase down the rebound in the right corner put her on the line for a pair as she was fouled with: 22.9 left.  She canned them both for a 61-60 Monk advantage.  Gaffney followed with the go-ahead bucket for Wesleyan at: 06.8.  

Saint Joseph's got the ball to Parent for a drive in the closing seconds but the Cardinals knocked the ball out of bounds under the basket with: 01.5 to go.  Parent got the inbounds pass along the right side of the lane and appeared to be going in for a potential winning basket, but LaCroce recorded the 11th blocked shot of the game for Wesleyan and grabbed the rebound as time expired.  Gaffney led the Cardinals in blocks on the day with five.  

Wesleyan will travel to Little Three rival Williams for its next game Tues., Jan. 12 while Saint Joseph's hosts GNAC rival Rivier Sat., Jan. 16 in its next contest.

COURTESY OF WESLEYAN SPORTS INFORMATION

Newspaper Box Score
St. Joseph's (Me.) vs Wesleyan University
1/10/10 3 pm at Middletown, CT (Silloway Gym)
At Middletown, CT (Silloway Gym)
WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 62, ST. JOSEPH'S (ME.) 61
ST. JOSEPH'S (ME.) (7-6)
Meghan Daigle 7-10 4-6 18; Megan McDevitt 5-8 0-0 14; Carolyn Freeman 2-5
5-10 9; Allie Parent 4-12 1-3 9; Allison Miner 2-5 1-1 5; Ashley Geel 2-7
0-0 4; Casey Drake 1-5 0-1 2; Melanie Cloutier 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-52 11-21
61.
WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY (6-5)
Sam LaCroce 5-11 0-0 10; Eileen Gaffney 3-9 4-4 10; Ali Newman 3-4 1-2 9;
Emily Lippe 4-7 0-3 8; Leigh Stewart 3-6 1-2 8; Erin Gold 2-10 3-4 7;
Melanie Ferdinand 3-7 1-2 7; McKinley Tennant 1-5 0-2 3; Kendra Harris 0-1
0-0 0; Chanel Van Dyke 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-61 10-19 62.
St. Joseph's (Me.)............   30   31  -   61
Wesleyan University...........   26   36  -   62
3-point goals--St. Joseph's (Me.) 4-7 (Megan McDevitt 4-6; Carolyn Freeman
0-1), Wesleyan University 4-17 (Ali Newman 2-3; McKinley Tennant 1-4; Leigh
Stewart 1-2; Erin Gold 0-3; Melanie Ferdinand 0-1; Emily Lippe 0-2; Eileen
Gaffney 0-2). Fouled out--St. Joseph's (Me.)-None, Wesleyan University-None.
Rebounds--St. Joseph's (Me.) 42 (Allie Parent 11), Wesleyan University 33
(Eileen Gaffney 11). Assists--St. Joseph's (Me.) 11 (Casey Drake 4),
Wesleyan University 13 (McKinley Tennant 4). Total fouls--St. Joseph's (Me.)
13, Wesleyan University 21. Technical fouls--St. Joseph's (Me.)-None,
Wesleyan University-None. A-150
Wes got a layup from Gaffney with :06.8 left to take a 62-61 lead. SJC got up
court & Wes knocked ball OOB under the basket w/:01.5 left. SJC got ball in to
Parent and her layup try was blocked by LaCroce, who grabbed reb. as time ran
out. SJC led by as many as 10 (51-41) in 2nd half.