Dolphins and Falcons to Meet in NE10 Championship Game.
MANSFIELD, Mass. - Both top seeds in the Northeast 10 Conference Women's Basketball Championship advanced to the league title game on Sunday, as Bentley, the No 1 seed in the Northeast Division, and Le Moyne, the No. 1 in the Southwest Division, won their respective semifinal games on Thursday night to set-up a high-powered showdown in Syracuse.
The Dolphins beat New Haven, 42-28, while the Falcons rolled past Saint Anselm, 74-59. Sunday's championship game will begin at 1 p.m. and will be live on NE10 NOW. It is the first time that Le Moyne has competed for a women's basketball championship since 2002.
Le Moyne 42, New Haven 28 | Box Score
Syracuse, N.Y. – The Le Moyne women's basketball team used a 31-11 second half en route to defeating third-seeded University of New Haven in the Northeast-10 Conference Championships semifinals on Thursday night at Ted Grant Court.
With the victory, the Dolphins advance to the Northeast-10 Conference Championship game for the second time in the program's 23 years in the conference. The Dolphins, the top seed in the Southwest Division, will host Bentley University, the top seed in the Northeast Division, on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. for the conference title and the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Championships. The Dolphins' lone previous championship game appearance came against American International in 2002. While the Dolphins are playing for their first conference championship, the Falcons will be attempting to win their 21st in 29 title game appearances and seventh in nine years.
Junior guard McKayla Roberts (North Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) was the only player in the game to score in double digits, finishing the game with 11 points, while adding four rebounds and two assists. Graduate student forward Corinne Poitevien (Bardonia, N.Y./Paramus Catholic (N.J.)) grabbed a game-best 14 rebounds, including nine on the offensive end. Freshman forward Jenna Zimmerman (Adams, N.Y./South Jefferson) tallied eight second-half points and grabbed five rebounds.
Bentley 74, Saint Anselm 59 | Box Score
WALTHAM, Mass. – For the fourth straight year, the eighth time in the last nine seasons and the 29th time in the tournament's 38-year history, the Northeast-10 Conference Women's Basketball championship game will include the Bentley University Falcons.
Coach Barbara Stevens' Falcons, the top seed in the NE10's Northeast Division, advanced with a 74-59 victory over Northeast number three seed Saint Anselm College Thursday on the Dana Center court named after the 1,039-game winner. They'll now travel to Syracuse, N.Y. to face Southwest Division champ Le Moyne College in a 1 pm contest Sunday afternoon.
Bentley, 28-2 and riding a 15-game winning streak, was powered by junior forward Monica Viapiano (Holden/Holy Name HS), who came off the bench and used a bevy of low-post moves to score a career-high 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting.
First Round Friday, March 1st:
Game 1: Merrimack (No. 4 seed NE) 75, Southern Connecticut (No. 5 seed SW) 62
Game 2: American International (No. 4 seed SW) 79, Southern New Hampshire (No. 5 seed NE) 55
Quarterfinals Sunday, March 3rd:
Game 3: Le Moyne (No. 1 seed SW) 74, Merrimack (No. 4 seed NE) 63
Game 4: Bentley (No. 1 seed NE) 68, American International (No. 4 seed SW) 55
Game 5: Saint Anselm (No. 3 seed NE) 85, Adelphi (No. 2 seed SW) 81
Game 6: New Haven (No. 3 seed SW) 58, Stonehill (No. 2 seed NE) 52 (OT)
Semifinals Thursday, March 7th (at highest remaining seeds):
Game 7: Le Moyne (No. 1 seed SW) 42, New Haven (No. 3 seed SW) 28
Game 8: Bentley (No. 1 seed NE) 74, Saint Anselm (No. 3 seed NE) 59
Championship Sunday, March 10th (at Le Moyne):
Game 9: Bentley vs. Le Moyne (1:00 PM)
-Information provided by Bentley and Le Moyne athletic communications staffs-
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.