Kayla Parker leads balanced attack as women's basketball defeats Shepherd, WV, 72-51

November 16, 2008

Assumption 72, Shepherd, WV 51

EASTON, Mass. --- Junior forward KAYLA PARKER (Sanford, ME/Sanford) led all scorers with 20 points (6 rebounds, 9-for-12 shooting) leading Assumption College women's basketball past Shepherd University (Shepherdstown, WV), 72-51, in the second day of the Stonehill College Mixer here SUNDAY at the Merkert Gymnasium.

Freshman forward KELLY MEREDITH (Franklin, MA/Franklin) added 16 points and senior guard/captain BETHANY PLASSKI (Fall River, MA/Durfee) scored 15 points with a game-high four steals to pace a balanced attack for the Greyhounds, now 2-0. Senior guard ANNA KAUFMAN (Strasburg, VA/Lewistown, PA) paced the Rams with 13 points.

Parker and Meredith were both named to the all-tournament team.

The Greyhounds sped to a 36-23 halftime lead as Parker scored 15 points on seven-for-10 floor accuracy and Meredith added nine points. The tenacious Hound defense created 16 turnovers and limited the Rams to 10 for-27 accuracy from the floor. The Hounds also got a superb off-the-bench performance from freshman point guard BRITTANY COHEN (Fayetteville, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt) who finished with five points and six assists in 23 minutes.

Shepherd bolted from the gate to a 10-4 lead as senior forward KATIE WAREHIME (Littlestown, PA/Littlestown) (10 points, 5 rebounds) scored a layin on the fastbreak following a turnover and a feed from senior guard KRISSY GROSSELIN (Dayton, OH/Ramstein, Germany).

Plasski then countered with a long three-pointer on a feed from senior point guard TRISH GARDNER (North Dartmouth, MA/Dartmouth) and then Meredith scored on the fastbreak off a steal and assist from Plasski to make it 10-9. Gardner then fed Meredith underneath for another layin and an 11-10 Greyhound lead with 14:52 left in the half.

Shepherd would forge ahead, 14-12, for the final time as senior forward COLLEEN SHUMAKER (Haymarket, VA/Haymarket) (9 points, 10 rebounds) made a lane jumper on an assist from Kaufman.

Parker then started a 7-0 minispurt for the Greyhounds with a nifty inside move to tie it and then made a three-point play followed by a Plasski layin to make it 19-14 Assumption.

After Kauffman scored in the paint to make cut the lead to 27-23 with 6:29 left the Greyhounds finished the half on a 9-0 run to lead by 13 points. The Greyhounds' pressure would force six turnovers and limit the Rams to an 0-for-4 floor performance over the last six minutes.

Sophomore forward MOLLY GRIFFITHS (Walpole, MA/Ursuline Academy) (7 points) started the streak with a wing jumper on an assist by sophomore point THERESA AMELIO (Bronx, NY/Preston), Plasski hit a jumper onthe fastbreak following her own steal, Meredith scored inside off an offensive rebound and made the bonus free throw and Parker capped it with an offensive rebound putback with 38 seconds left.

A layin by junior guarad AMANDA SHEEHY (Linden, NJ/Roselle Catholic) (5 points) off the break made it a 26-point game (68-42) with 4:00 left in the second half.

The Greyhounds open their Northeast-10 Conference schedule Wednesday (November 19) when they travel to Merrimack College (5:30 p.m. tipoff).

Click here for ASSUMPTION-SHEPHERD box score