By: Justin Clear-Vekinis, News Correspondent
Sophomore guard Rachel Pecota led the women’s basketball team in scoring this weekend, posting a career-high 25 points in Friday’s 72-69 loss to Syracuse University.
Head coach Daynia La-Force Mann said she was happy with the way her team played, despite the loss in the season opener.
“I think we exceeded expectations,” La-Force Mann said. “We were selected last in the league – people think we are down this year because we lost three starters. [This game] gives us a lot of encouragement moving forward.”
Junior guard Keshaia Cannon agreed with Mann and said she was still confident in her team.
“We’ve been working hard, and we will continue to work hard,” she said.
The Huskies took a 33-31 advantage in the first half, but couldn’t contain Syracuse’s offense in the second half. The Orange battled back from a 12-point deficit, and took a 55-54 lead with seven minutes left.
Down 71-66, La-Force Mann called a timeout. After the timeout, junior guard Jamie Conroy nailed a 3-pointer to pull the Huskies within two, forcing them to foul the Orange.
Syracuse guard Erica Morrow hit the first of two free-throws, giving the Orange a 72-69 lead, but an offensive rebound after the miss sealed the victory.
In the home opener against Kent State, Pecota provided the Huskies firepower on offense, as she did against Syracuse
Pecota added 19 points in the Huskies’ 71-53 home loss to Kent State University Tuesday. Pecota hit four 3-pointers and added five rebounds and two blocks during the Kent State matchup.
Cannon and sophomore guard Afreyea Tolbert chipped in with 10 points each.
Kent State out-rebounded the Huskies 40-31 in the victory, and La-Force Mann said the team needed to improve.
“We need to do a better job of boxing out on the defensive end and [getting] more defensive rebounds,” La-Force Mann said.
Tolbert led the team with eight rebounds in the game and freshman forward Jewel Tunstull contributed seven rebounds in addition to her two points.
“There are players who are stepping up to fill the roles and who are working hard to do so,” Cannon said.
The Huskies jumped out to a quick five-point lead on a jumper by Tolbert and a 3-point field goal from Cannon.
But after a 10-10 tie, the Golden Flashes tallied 11 unanswered points to command a 21-10 lead, then took a 28-18 lead into halftime.
In the second half, the Huskies found themselves in foul trouble, and were over the seven-foul penalty before the halfway mark in the second stanza. Kent State used this to their advantage and tallied 15 points from the free-throw line.
The Golden Flashes’ offense overpowered the Huskies, with four players scoring in double-digits. Forward Taisja Jones led the team with 16 points, guard Jamilah Humes added 14 points and forward Chenel Harris chipped in 13 points. Forward Tayler Stanton contributed, scoring 11 points coming off the bench.
The 0-2 Huskies travel to Iowa City, Iowa, this weekend to compete in the Hawkeye Challenge, hosted by the University of Iowa. Northeastern will face the University of Iowa Saturday at 1 p.m. and either Central Michigan University or Northern Colorado University, Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
