RINDGE, New Hampshire – The American International College women's basketball team handled business on the road, defeating Franklin Pierce University 77-58 in a Northeast 10 Conference contest on Wednesday, February 4.
AIC is now 15-6 overall and 9-4 in the NE10.
Keyvanna Bennett opened the scoring with a layup after Eden Monka came up with a steal on the first possession of the game; Tia-Marie Martinez then countered a three by the Ravens with one of her own. Chelsea Reeves was an effective distributor, setting up both of those shots as well as AIC's next make, a layup by Bennett that pushed AIC ahead 7-5.
Ruzgar Christina Boyle was the next player to score, hitting a left-side three off of a Martinez pass. The Ravens swished another long shot of their own, but Reeves answered by spinning past the defense under the hoop for a bucket.
The Ravens kept it close with another three, but after a few empty possessions on both sides, Reeves swished a three from the right side. Masha Andrushchenko then set up Peyton Grant for another triple from the left, and on AIC's next possession Reeves drove the lane again to score and push AIC's edge to nine. Franklin Pierce broke its drought late with a field goal and two free throws, and the Yellow Jackets led 20-15 after one.
The first points of the second quarter were free throws that Bennett sank, and Martinez drove in from the left wing for a layup to follow and restore the nine-point lead. The Ravens again closed in with a pair of deep shots that went through.
Bennett continued to cook, with a mid-range jumper from the left elbow from Ahliya Phillips, and then Martinez laid in a reverse on an entry pass from Alicia Aznar Chamorro. Reeves won a rebound on a miss and put it back, forcing a Ravens timeout.
It hardly helped; Bennett found Martinez open on the left for another deep make that gave AIC its first double-digit lead of the game on the next possession and gave AIC's co-captain her 10th point of the game. The Ravens did net a jumper on the next possession, but Bennett responded with a jumper of her own, drawing contact to make it a three-point play.
Franklin Pierce hit another three, only to have Reeves win a battle down the left side of the lane for a layup. Martinez knocked in another three from the top of the key, then followed by setting up Bennett. The Ravens found an open jumper near the free throw line, but that was the last bucket of the half; Boyle blocked Franklin Pierce's final shot near the buzzer, and AIC led 44-28 through 20 minutes.
Both teams came up empty on their first possession of the second half, but Boyle was able to prevent a turnover with strong effort and drive in for a layup, then blocked the next Franklin Pierce attempt. Monka later splashed a jumper from the line to put AIC ahead 50-33, and then Bennett swiped the ball away, scoring on the subsequent breakaway to force a Ravens timeout.
Another Bennett breakaway, this one off of a Martinez steal, put AIC ahead 22, and then the reigning NE10 Rookie of the Year laid in her eighth field goal of the game on the next possession. The Ravens strung a few scoring possessions together, but Sarai Gurley cut the run off with a free throw.
Franklin Pierce kept fighting, and pulled within 13 after free throws. Reeves had the response for AIC, scoring three straight including a steal-and-score, giving AIC a 61-45 lead after three.
The Ravens opened the second with a third-chance layup, but Reeves countered by laying home a pass from Bennett for her 20th point of the night. Bennett scored two free throws on the next possession to also break 20.
Late in the quarter, Andrushchenko added a three to AIC's tally, and Gurley followed with one of her own to push AIC back ahead 22. Jada Bryant then hit a layup for her first points of the game. Ultimately, AIC won by a 77-58 margin.
Bennett led the game with 23 points and collected six boards; Reeves scored 20 with four assists. Martinez notched 13 points with three helpers and three steals.
AIC will have a week to prepare for a showdown with league-leading Bentley University on Wednesday, February 11 at 5:30 p.m. at Butova Gymnasium.
