NORTH ANOVER, MASS. – The Merrimack College women's basketball snapped its eight game winning streak on Saturday afternoon with a loss to Long Island University. Amaya Staton second double-double of the season after scoring 14 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. She also had a career-high five blocks in the defeat. Kaylee Thomas was the only other Warrior in double figures with 13 points.


The Essentials
Score: Merrimack 54, Long Island 58
Records: Merrimack (13-15, 9-6 NEC) | Long Island (6-21, 4-11 NEC)
Location: Hammel Court
 
Rapid Recap

• It took a few minutes, but both team had two points. Thomas and Staton combined for five point to give Merrimack a five point lead. A three from Diamond Christian gave the Warriors an eight-point advantage with four and a half minutes left in the first. The Warriors would end the first quarter with a four-point run. Thomas got the scoring going in the second quarter to put Merrimack up six. A three by Christian and a layup from Ava Owens would give the Warriors their biggest lead of the game at 11. The Sharks would cut the lead down to four. Makenzie Bray would find the bottom of the net with a jumper towards the end of the half to send Merrimack into the locker room up six.
• The Warriors opened the second half by going on a six-point run to go up by 12. Long Island would battle back flipping the game and going up by one. Both teams would battle back and forth for the rest of the third quarter. The score was tied heading into the fourth. Four minutes into the fourth quarter the Sharks found themselves up eight. Down 10 with four minutes to play, Jayme DeCesare scored a layup. After a Long Island bucket, Merrimack would go on a six-point run to cut the deficit down to three. The Sharks would knock down their free throws at the end of the game and would end up winning the game by four.

Notes and Numbers

• The Warriors shot 80% from the free throw line.
• Thomas had four steals in the defeat.
• DeCesare finished the game with a team-high six assists.

Up Next
Merrimack stays at home for the season finale against St. Francis Brooklyn on Thursday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m.