NORTH ANOVER, MASS. – The Merrimack College women's basketball earned its 15th win of the season on Monday night as well as its first Northeast Conference playoff win over Saint Francis (PA). Both Kaylee Thomas and Marissa Hamilton scored a team-high 16 points in the victory. Hamilton also finished with a team-high eight rebounds. Jayme DeCesare was the third Warrior in double figures with 11 points. She also had four rebounds and three assists.

The Essentials
Score: Merrimack 66, Saint Francis (PA) 60
Records: Merrimack (15-15, 10-6 NEC) | Saint Francis (PA) (7-22, 9-7 NEC)
Location: Hammel Court
 
Rapid Recap

• Amaya Staton opened the game with a three to give Merrimack an early lead. After a Red Flash bucket, Diamond Christian knocked down a three to put the Warriors up four. Hamilton the added a layup to make the lead six. Thomas and Ava Owens went on a five-point run to give Merrimack a nine-point lead. Saint Francis battled back to cut it down to five. The lead was six heading into the second quarter. The Red Flash opened the second quarter on a six-point run to tie the game at 16. Hamilton stopped the run with a three. Both teams then battled back and forth. Thomas and Hamilton hit back-to-back three to swell the lead to seven points. The lead would be seven heading into halftime.
• The second half opened with Saint Francis jumping out to a one-point lead. DeCesare gave Merrimack the lead back with a layup. Merrimack then added five points to go up by six. The advantage then dropped down to two after a Red Flash run. Staton hit a jumper to bring it back up to four. With two and a half minutes to play in the third quarter the score was tied at 38. Saint Francis then took a four-point lead. DeCesare had a jumper to cut it to two. The Red Flash then scored in the final seconds of the quarter to head into the fourth up by four. The fourth quarter opened with a layup for Saint Francis, giving then their biggest lead of the night at six. Merrimack then went on a seven-point run to flip the game and go up by one. Both teams then went back and forth sharing the lead on multiple occasions. Hamilton hit a three to put the Warriors up five with two and a half minutes to play in the game. Thomas then converted on a three point play to bring the lead up to eight. Good free throw shooting down the stretch from the Warriors would give them a six-point win and an appearance in the NEC semifinals.

Notes and Numbers

• After scoring just 16 points in the third quarter, the Warriors exploded in the fourth scoring 26.
• DeCesare finished the game with five steals.
• Merrimack forced 21 turnovers.

Up Next
The Warriors head to Sacred Heart for their semifinal matchup. The game is set for Thursday night at 7p.m.