The Husson University women’s basketball team got 22 points from Bailey Donovan on Saturday, and won their season opener over Rowan University (New Jersey) 67-62 in an opening round game of the Tyler Tip-off hosted by Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Husson, after a close opening 10 minutes of action where the game was tied 16-16 after one quarter, would take the biggest lead of the contest by using a 13-2 run to open the second. Nine of those points were scored by Donovan, including a three-pointer to make it 29-18 Eagles. Rowan (0-2) though ended the first half on a run of their own, as they closed on a 12-2 spurt and the Profs cut the deficit to 31-30 at the break. Both teams would hold a lead in the second half, but neither had more than four points of separation. With the score even 58-58 with 2:34 left in the fourth quarter, Husson made the plays late to come out with the victory. A free throw by Trinity Montigny, jumpers by Jordyn Lengle and Makaelyn Porter, and two free throws by Sophia McVicar put the Eagles up by six with 45 seconds to play sealing the win.
Donovan would add 13 rebounds, two steals, and three blocks to her game-high point total in the Husson win. McVicar had 17 points and eight rebounds, and Porter also got into double figures with 13 points. Nicole Mallard, Kristina Johnson, and Kate Herlihy each had 13 points in the loss for the Rowan University Profs. The Eagles now will take on the host school Smith College in the tip-off championship game on Sunday at 4 p.m. The Pioneers are ranked #4 in Division IIi basketball in the country courtesy of the WBCA preseason poll.
Recap by Chris Lessner
