SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Despite a game-high 20 points from senior Kamika Mason (Long Beach, Calif.), No. 20 American International College was defeated for the first time this season, 62-55, at the hands of Franklin Pierce University in Northeast-10 women's basketball action this evening from the Butova Gymnasium.
The setback drops AIC to 15-1 overall and 8-1 in conference play while the victory moves the Ravens to 8-5 and 5-4 in NE-10 action. This marks the 10th consecutive win for Franklin Pierce against the Yellow Jackets.
The last AIC win came in 2008 as they defeated then 15th ranked Franklin Pierce, 66-58, right here in Springfield.
The opening ten minutes was a back-and-forth affair as the teams traded buckets while FPU senior Natalie Bastian (Branford, Conn.) dialed in from long range twice to tie the contest at 11-11 at the 4:38 mark and to take the 14-13 lead at the 3:22 mark and neither team converted a basket after that in the first.
The Ravens extended their lead to as much as five at 24-19 following a three-ball from sophomore Jemma Thacker (Aldgate, Australia) at the 4:50 mark before AIC used a mini 6-0 spurt to retain the lead after back-to-back buckets by senior Sydney Tepley (Racine, Wis.) tilted the score to 25-24 in favor of the hosts with 1:25 before the halftime buzzer.
Franklin Pierce took the lead back, however, after a traditional three-point play by junior Alison Palma (Stamford, Conn.) for the 27-25 edge going into the intermission.
The third quarter was more of the same with Pierce controlling the lead, with their largest lead of six points coming to end the quarter as part of an 8-0 run. AIC grabbed the lead on a pair of occasions by the way of senior Brianna Bishop's (Suffield, Conn.) right hand as she was good from distance at the 7:45 mark for the 32-31 edge and dribbled behind her back and stepped back for a deep two-pointer for the 40-38 margin with 2:52 to play in the period.
After a slow start to the start of the final quarter, the Jackets pulled to within one after Mason and junior Imani Stepney (Willingboro, N.J.) converted back-to-back lay-ups for the 49-48 score at the 3:16 mark.
However, a traditional three-point play by senior Kara Charette (Fairhaven, Mass.) ignited an 8-0 run over the next 1:30 to give FPU the 57-48 lead and even with a pair of buckets from Mason and a trey by Stepney the Ravens hit enough free-throws to escape with the 62-55 final.
Mason added eight boards and five blocks to her game-high point total as no other Yellow Jacket scored in double figures. Stepney added nine points and 10 boards while freshman Dana Watts (Rochesterm, N.Y.) collected 10 rebounds as well to lead AIC to the commanding 42-28 edge on the glass including 18 offensive rebounds.
Charette collected 19 points to lead the Ravens while Palma and Thacker added 13 and 11, respectively for the visitors who outshot the hosts 44.4 percent (20-for-45) from the field to just 33.3 percent (22-for-66).
AIC remains at home for their second game as part of a season-long three-game home stand as they welcome the Falcons of Bentley University to the Butova for a 1:30 p.m. tip on Saturday afternoon.
