By Aren LeBrun, News Correspondent
The women’s basketball team used a tough defensive focus and veteran leadership to halt a late first half run by the College of Holy Cross Crusaders and cruise to a 70-48 win on Wednesday, improving to 5-2 on the early season for the first time since 2009.
“The leadership is just great,” head coach Daynia La-Force said. “That’s where it has to start.”
The Huskies’ offense was paced by senior guard Deanna Kerkhof, who recorded big numbers across the stat sheet. Kerkhof recorded 21 points, five boards, five steals, four assists and a blocked shot.
Junior center Jewel Tunstull held down the post, scoring 12 points and grabbing a game-high seven rebounds. Sophomore guard A’lece Mark played another solid game as well, with 14 points and five steals. Junior guard Alex Smith led the Crusaders with 16 points.
Northeastern combined its defensive effort with a balanced offensive attack to gain a quick 26-9 lead. The team’s energy was epitomized in a play where Mark chased and stole a full court outlet pass, then converted a heavily contested layup on the other end after grabbing the offensive rebound.
“[Mark’s] the type of player who just fills the stat sheet,” La-Force said. “She’ll get you rebounds, she’ll score points, she’ll get steals. She’s definitely the glue to our team right now.”
Toward the end of the break, the Crusaders began to rally behind the play of Smith. She scored five points and dished out two assists, and a jump shot from freshman forward Raquel Scott completed a 11-4 run for the Crusaders, who cut the lead to 10 going into the break.
“Every possession counts,” Kerkhof said. “We took possessions off at the end of the first half, and that’s what allowed them to catch up.”
The Huskies pressed Holy Cross for the majority of the second half, and the Crusaders couldn’t find an answer. Smith tried to help her team rally when she buried a three-pointer to cut the lead to 14 points. Senior guard Kashaia Cannon silenced the Crusader bench once and for all with a three on the other end to push the lead back up to 17.
“She has that experience, that ability to score,” La-Force said of Cannon, who was recently awarded CAA Co-Player of the Week honors. “She’s so solid for us.”
This time last year, Northeastern was 1-7. Three of those losses were by at least 20. So far this season is a much different story. This game marks the fourth straight win for the Huskies, with their average margin of victory this season being 23 points.
“Having Deanna, Cash and Christine really setting the tone for our program this season is great,” La-Force said. “They’ve been working so hard.”
The Huskies used yet another defensive showcase to stymie the New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders and extend their winning streak to three with a 59-45 victory on Saturday.
The Highlanders were held to 28.9 percent shooting from the floor and committed 21 turnovers against a staunch Husky defense. For the second straight outing, the Huskies forced an opponent to below 30 percent shooting.
Senior guard Cannon continued her hot shooting, leading the Huskies with 16 points, which earned her CAA Co-Player of the Week honors. Cannon was backed by Tunstull (14 points, team-high eight rebounds). Mark put in another versatile performance, recording eight points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Senior guard Deanna Kerkhof also chipped in 10 points and 5 boards. Highlander guard Rayven Johnson led all scorers with 18 points.
It was a solid offensive performance from the Huskies, with four players scoring at least eight points as well as a 34-16 advantage in points in the paint. Despite these numbers, the game was decided on defensive end of the floor and also on the boards. Northeastern held a 50-29 margin on the glass and earned an eight-point advantage in second-chance buckets.
The Huskies carried their defensive momentum into this game from last week’s dominating home performance against Dartmouth College, in which the Big Green were held to 25 percent shooting. Defense and rebounding have been a big part of their identity this season and a contributor to their early success.
The Huskies next hit the court on Saturday, Dec. 22 when they play University of Massachusetts Amherst. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at Solomon Court.
