March 3, 2007
2007 Patriot League Women's Basketball Tournament Page
No. 3 Holy Cross 64, No. 6 Lafayette 49 Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Kaitlin Foley scored 21 points and Brianna McFadden added 16 to lead Holy Cross (13-17) to a 64-49 win over Lafayette in quarterfinals action at the Patriot League women's tournament in Annapolis Saturday.
The 6-4 Foley, a two-time first-team all-league pick, had at least a four-inch height advantage on Lafayette's tallest defender and she took full advantage, going 6 for 8 from the field -- all from within three-feet of the basket. Foley also knocked down 9 of 12 at the foul line.
Brittany Purr led Lafayette with 13 points. Emily Garner added 11 for the Leopards, who shot 36 percent (17 of 47) against a stingy Holy Cross defense that also forced 20 Lafayette turnovers.
Lafayette led much of the first half before Holy Cross scored the last four points of the half to take a 27-24 lead at the intermission. Holy Cross shot 63 percent (12 of 19) from the field in the second half and made 9 of 10 free throws in the final 5:14 to pull away.
Holy Cross will face seventh-seeded Lehigh in Sunday's semifinals. Lehigh advanced with a 57-53 upset of defending champion Army, the No. 2 seed.
Patriot League Tournament Notes
* Holy Cross earned its 10th quarterfinal round victory. The Crusaders have received six quarterfinal byes in the past when the Patriot League consisted of only seven schools.
* Holy Cross Head Coach Bill Gibbons won his Patriot League record 33rd tournament game.
* Lafayette senior Kara Stetler ended her career ranked ninth all-time in the Patriot League in 3-pointers made with 168.
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No. 7 Lehigh 57, No. 2 Army 53 Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Adrienne Blount scored 25 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds to lead seventh-seeded Lehigh to a 57-53 upset of second-seeded Army in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League Tournament on Saturday.
Kristen Dalton scored 13 points while Alex Ross added 12 for Lehigh (11-18), which will play the Holy Cross-Lafayette winner.
Jen Hansen scored 21 points to lead Army (24-6), the defending league champion. First-Team All-Patriot League pick Cara Enright was held to four points on 2-for-11 field goal shooting for the Black Knights, who swept the Mountain Hawks during the regular season.
It was a close game throughout and featured eight ties and seven lead changes. Lehigh took the lead for good on a jumper by Dalton that made it 46-44 with 8:57 remaining. Army got within one on three occasions, but Lehigh answered each time.
Army shot 28 percent (17-for-59) from the field and made just 4 of 18 3-point attempts.
Patriot League Tournament Notes
* Lehigh's win over defending Patriot League Champion Army marks just the third time in Patriot League Tournament history that the year's previous champion has been knocked out in its first game in the next year's tourney. In 1996 Holy Cross fell in the semifinal round after receiving a bye in the first round. The Crusaders lost in the quarterfinals in 2004.
* This season is just the third in which the No. 2 seed has lost in the quarterfinal round. No. 2 Bucknell lost in 1999 and second-seeded Bucknell fell in 2001.
* Not before 2007 have both the No. 1 (Bucknell) and 2 (Army) seeds dropped the first game they have played in the same season.
* Army's (24-6) loss halts its chances of tying or breaking the Patriot League single-season record for victories of 25 set by Holy Cross in 1991.
* Army senior Jen Hansen ended her career with 203 career 3-pointers, which rank fifth on the Patriot League's career list.'
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No. 4 American 68, No. 5 Navy 55 Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Guards Liz Hayes and Nicole Ryan combined to score 46 points to lead American to a 68-55 victory over host Navy in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League Tournament on Saturday.
Ryan drained five 3-pointers in netting 25 points for fourth-seeded American (12-18), which advanced to play Colgate in Sunday's semifinals. Hayes added 21 points for the Eagles, who had not won a tournament game since reaching the championship in 2004.
Center Abby Lipskis had a solid all-around game with seven points, 10 rebounds, two blocked shots and two steals.
Betsy Burnett scored 16 points while frontcourt mate Kate Hobbs had 14 for Navy, which rallied from a seven-point deficit to take a 39-38 lead three minutes into the second half. However, American responded with an 18-4 run to take a 56-43 lead with 9:37 remaining. Navy got within six on two occasions, but could not complete another rally.
Carly Meyer, a First-Team All-Patriot League pick, was held to eight points on 4-for-17 field goal shooting by Ryan. Meyer was 0-for-9 from 3-point range.
Patriot League Tournament Notes
* American's win was the first for third-year head coach Melissa McFerrin in the Patriot League Tournament
* The last time American advanced to the semifinal round of the Patriot League Tournament was in 2004 when it played in the championship game as the No. 2 seed, falling to top-seeded Colgate.
* Navy seniors Kate Hobbs and Carly Meyer end their careers ranked 42nd (551) and 48th (524), respectively on the Patriot League's career rebounding list.
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No. 8 Colgate 69, No. 1 Bucknell 62 Box Score
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Freshman guard Tahara Williams scored 17 points to lead four players in double figures as eighth-seeded Colgate upset top-seeded Bucknell, 69-62, in the first quarterfinal of the Patriot League Tournament on Saturday.
Sophomore guard Gretchen Polinski scored 13 points, grabbed seven rebounds and swiped three steals for the Raiders, who won their opening round game for the fourth straight season.
Junior forward Caitlin Gillard scored 12 points while junior guard Shevorne Martin added 11 for Colgate (6-24), which gained confidence by taking an early 14-2 lead. Bucknell had swept the season series in convincing fashion, scoring the initial 27 points in routing Colgate 64-32 on Feb. 17.
This was the second time Bucknell had earned the top seed in the Patriot League Tournament. The Bison previously were No. 1 in 1996 and also lost their opening game to the Raiders.
Sophomore forward Laura Schober scored 17 points while senior forward Jacquie Seawright had 16 for Bucknell (20-10), which rallied from the early 12-point deficit to take a nine point lead at 44-35 with 14:03 remaining in the second half. Colgate responded with a 14-1 run to retake the lead.
There were three ties and four lead changes down the stretch before Williams hit a 3-pointer to put Colgate ahead 65-61 with two minutes left. The Raiders then made four of five free throws to finish off the upset.
Colgate advances to play the winner of Saturday's second quarterfinal between No. 4 American and No. 5 Navy.
Patriot League Tournament Notes
* For the first time in Patriot League Tournament history the No. 1 seed was defeated in the quarterfinal round, also marking the first time the No. 8 seed has earned a victory over the No. 1 seed.
* Bucknell's loss is just the third all-time by the No. 1 seed in its first game of the tournament. In 1996 Bucknell received a bye as the top seed and lost in the semifinal to No. 5 Colgate. In 1997 No. 1 Holy Cross fell to No. 5 Lafayette in semifinal action after receiving a first-round bye.
* Colgate has advanced to the second round of the Patriot League Tournament for the fourth-straight year. In the last three seasons the Raiders have not been higher than a five seed. In 2004 Colgate was the top seed and went on to win the Patriot League Championship title.
* Colgate Head Coach Kristin Hughes is 3-0 in Patriot League Tournament Quarterfinal games.
*Bucknell will be eligible for a spot in the 2007 WNIT Postseason Tournament because it is the Patriot League's top seed in the tournament that will not be crowned champion. Pairings for the WNIT will be announced on March 12.
* Bucknell senior Lindsey Hollobaugh ends her career ranked 22nd on the Patriot League career scoring list with 1,384 points and 47th in career rebounds with 529.
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