Women’s Hoop Upended in Winterim Finale
Jordan Nappi and Co. Prove Too Tough for Panthers
Kameron Towle
For The Clock
kmtowle1@plymouth.edu
Eastern Connecticut State University was able to stave off Plymouth State 60-47 in Foley Gymnasium this past Saturday, in key Little East Conference matchup. ECSU came out with a hot first quarter. After a layup by PSU’s Senior Savannah Miller (Smithtown, N.Y.) with 8:47 left in the quarter, the Warriors put together an 11-0 run to go up 15-2. The streak was stopped by a layup made by Senior Kayla Wyland (Melrose, Mass.), but the damage had been done. ESCU led 19-8 after the first quarter and rode that momentum up to a 31-12 lead at the half on the Lady Panthers.
In the third quarter, the Lady Panthers bounced back, going on a 13-0 run that would put them back into the game for the time being. The run featured three baskets from Wyland, a layup and a free throw by Senior Leah Swanson (Atkinson, N.H.), and a basket each from Miller and Senior Annaliese Schmidt (Newmarket, N.H.). PSU trailed 41-29 through thirty minutes, hitting 8-of-17 in the quarter.
An Ace Lawrence triple (Middletown, CT) in the fourth quarter cut the Warrior lead to seven with 6:18 left, but that would be as close as the Lady Panthers could get. ECSU closed the game on a 12-6 run to close it out over the final 6:02.
Senior Jordyn Nappi posted a double-double, scoring a game-high 19 points as well as grabbing 10 rebounds. Her classmate, Lexi Foster recorded eight blocked shots. The Lady Panthers were led by Wyland and Miller, with Wyland posting 14 points and seven rebounds and Miller contributing eight points, six rebounds, and four steals in the loss to the Warriors who held on to grab their ninth-straight LEC win. PSU falls to 5-14 overall and 2-8 in conference play, while ECSU improves to 15-6 and 9-1 in the conference.
ECSU is set to host rival Western Connecticut Wednesday at 5:30 PM in an LEC contest. Plymouth State is also set to return to league action Wednesday at 5:30 PM as they traveled to Keene State College. Score was unavailable for press time.