WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - The Lady
Monarch Classic championship was within the grasp of Salisbury
University on Saturday afternoon but was ripped away by the Neumann
College women's basketball team in the final minutes. Neumann took
its first and only lead with less then six minutes left in the game
en route to the 78-72 victory at King's (Pa.) College.
Salisbury (4-7) finished 1-1 in the two-day tournament as the
Sea Gulls defeated Norwich University, 68-52, on Friday evening. SU
juniors Monica Merkel and Lindsay
Martin were named to the all-tournament team.
Neumann's Krista DiRomualdo (12 points) drained a three-pointer
at the 5:50 mark to give the Knights a 61-59 lead on Saturday. The
Knights' biggest lead was six with two minutes left in the game.
Tournament Most Valuable Player Brittany Whetts scored 21 points
and grabbed 14 rebounds in the victory for the Knights (6-5). In
addition, Whetts had three blocks and two assists in the
championship game. Neumann had four players score double figures.
Merkel led the Sea Gulls with 25 points, six rebounds, three
assists and two steals in the six-point loss. Martin added 19
points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Forward
Kylie Hall was the other Sea Gull to reach double
figures as she made a season-high 13 points and a season-high 13
rebounds.
Salisbury led 37-34 at the half as Neumann closed out the
opening half on an 8-1 run in the final three minutes.
The Knights were sent to the free-throw line 32 times and made
23 (71.9 percent) as Neumann shot 45.6 percent from the field for
the game. Salisbury shot 40.6 from the field and over 60 percent
from the free throw line and three-point range (66.7 percent).
On Friday, Salisbury led the entire game against Norwich as the
Sea Gulls' largest lead reached 16 late in the second half. Merkel
led the Sea Gulls with 14 points followed by Martin (13 points) and
Shaniece Roseborough (12 points) and
Marissa Manzo (12 points). Manzo added a game and
season-high 10 rebounds to complete the double-double. The 12
points by Roseborough and Manzo were season highs.
SU led 37-26 at the half against Norwich (1-8). The Sea Gulls
shot 51.6 percent from the field in the first half and finished
42.2 percent for the game. The maroon and gold was over 80 percent
from the free-throw line (13-for-16).
The Sea Gulls will travel to Ewing, N.J., on Monday to face The
College of New Jersey for a 6 p.m. non-conference game.
