Amherst Downs Bowdoin in Women's Basketball Semifinals, 71-47
Courtesy Amherst Sports Information
AMHERST, Mass. – Top-seeded Amherst came away with a 71-47 victory over fourth-seeded Bowdoin in the first semifinal of the 2008 NESCAC Women's Basketball Championship at LeFrak Gymnasium. The win was the first for the Lord Jeffs over the Polar Bears since the Feb. 16, 2001. Amherst advances to face the winner of the Tufts/Wesleyan semifinal on Sunday, March 2 at 12:00 p.m.
Despite sloppy play from both teams in the first few moments, Amherst jumped out to an 8-0 lead thanks to a pair of three-pointers from senior tri-captain Shaina Pollack (Great Neck, N.Y.). Pollack continued her hot hand with a pair of pull-up jumpers to put the Jeffs up 12-0 after six minutes of action.
Bowdoin head coach Stefanie Pemper was forced to
use a timeout at the 12:55 mark of the first half, after Amherst
first-year Sarah Leyman (Cincinnati, Ohio) put Amherst up 14-0 with
a lay-up. Coming out of the timeout, Bowdoin finally got on the
board with a pair of free throws by junior Alexa Kaubris (Rumford,
Maine).
At the midpoint of the first half, Amherst held a 21-7 lead after
a bucket by senior tri-captain Anne Claire Roesch (Westport,
Mass.).
The Polar Bears finished the half on a 9-4 run, heading into the locker room down 35-24. Pollack led all players with 12 points in the first half, while Leyman scored 8 points and pulled down 5 rebounds. Bowdoin was paced by junior Jill Anelauskas (Medfield, Mass.) with 9 points in the first.
Amherst built on its halftime lead in the first six minutes of play in the second half. Riding six early points from senior tri-captain Stefanie Reiff (Hinsdale, Ill.), Amherst rushed out to a 51-32 lead.
At the twelve minute mark of the second half, Pollack was fouled again on a three ball, and knocked down all three from the charity stripe to put the Lord Jeffs up 57-37. Four and a half minutes later, a jumper from junior Stacy Brossy (Lukachukai, Ariz.) put the Jeffs up 69-39.
When the final whistle blew, the Lord Jeffs advanced to the conference championship game with a 71-47 win. Pollack finished the day with 18 points, five rebounds and 3 assists to pace Amherst, while Reiff added 16 points. First-years Leyman and Jaci Daigneault (Guilford, Conn.) combined for 16 points and 13 rebounds as well for Amherst. Anelauskas and Kaubris led the Polar Bears with nine points apiece.
Bowdoin's (18-8) loss snapped a 21-0 NESCAC tournament record. It was also the lowest amount of points scored by the Polar Bears since a 49-43 setback to Scranton in the 2005 NCAA Tournament. Amherst will appear in the NESCAC title game for the first time since hosting the game in 2001.
