CHESTER, Pa. – On Saturday afternoon, the Messiah University women's basketball team used a strong overall effort to defeat the Pride of Widener University 75-69. The Falcons opened the game with a 23-17 lead after the first quarter. The Pride outscored the Falcons by one in the second to reduce the Messiah lead to 37-32 at the half. The Falcons outscored the Pride by two in the third to take a seven-point lead into the final quarter. Both offenses shined in the fourth and the Falcons answered the Pride's baskets to earn the 75-69 win.
Charlotte Milanesi led the Falcons with 25 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two steals.
Liv Monturo totaled 20 points, six assists, four rebounds, and a block.
EmmyFaith Wood tallied 11 points, six assists, and five rebounds.
Brooke Fenchel added seven points.
Up next, the Falcons travel to Reading, Pa. to take on the Lions of Albright College on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 6:00 p.m.
First Quarter
The Falcons opened the game strong with a 7-2 run in the first minute and a half.
EmmyFaith Wood led the Falcons with five points and
Liv Monturo added two points during the Falcons run. After some back-and-forth play, the Falcons scored three-straight points to extend their lead to seven midway through the first.
Brooke Fenchel scored a basket, and
Charlotte Milanesi added a free throw for the Falcons. The Pride then tied the game at 15 with a 7-0 run. The Falcons ended the first strong with an 8-2 run to take a 23-17 lead at the end of the first. Fenchel started the run with a three and Milanesi ended the run with a three.
Second Quarter
After some back-and-forth play,
Brooke Fenchel and
Raegan Fogarty scored back-to-back baskets to extend the Falcons lead to nine with five minutes remaining in the half. The Pride then hit three-straight threes to tie the game at 32 with three minutes remaining in the second. The Falcons ended the second with a 5-0 run to take a 37-32 lead at the break.
Charlotte Milanesi and
Liv Monturo each scored a basket and
Marisa Amitie added a free throw for the Falcons during the run.
Third Quarter
The Falcons opened the second half strong with a 9-2 run to extend the Falcons lead to 46-34 with six minutes remaining in the third.
Liv Monturo led the Falcons with six points and
Hope Cook made a three for the Falcons during the run. The Pride ended the third strong with a 9-4 run to reduce the Falcons lead to 50-43 entering the final quarter.
Fourth Quarter
After the two teams traded baskets for the first two minutes of the fourth, the Pride cut the Falcons lead to four with a 6-2 run with 6:30 remaining in the fourth.
April Kauffeldt led the Falcons with four points in the first three and a half minutes of the fourth. The Falcons then went on an 8-3 run to push their lead back to nine with just under three minutes remaining in the game.
Liv Monturo started the run with a jumper and
EmmyFaith Wood ended the run with a pair of free throws. The Pride then quickly made two-straight baskets to cut the Falcons lead to five, but the is the closest the Pride got as
Charlotte Milanesi scored seven-straight points in the final minute and a half and the Falcons earned the 75-69 win.
Stats
Charlotte Milanesi led the Falcons with 25 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two steals.
Liv Monturo totaled 20 points, six assists, four rebounds, and a block.
EmmyFaith Wood tallied 11 points, six assists, and five rebounds.
Brooke Fenchel added seven points. The Falcons shot 56.9 percent from the field and 50 percent from three. The Pride shot 46.4 percent from the field and 50 percent from three.
Next
The Falcons travel to Reading, Pa. to take on the Lions of Albright College on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 6:00 p.m.