BOX SCORE Box Score

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Despite a formidable offensive effort in the first half of play, the University of New Haven women’s basketball team was on the wrong end of a 63-50 final to Assumption College on Tuesday evening at Charger Gymnasium.   

Three players registered double-figures for the Chargers, led by Dominique Stellmacher. The senior guard poured in 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting with three rebounds and two assists. Seniors Nicole Pollard and Lauren Boivin also added double-digits with 10 points apiece in the losing effort.

A balanced attack granted New Haven a strong start to the game, as the Chargers connected on a season-high 54 percent of their field goals in the opening stanza. Unfortunately, the NE-10 Conference’s third ranked team was equally as good, making 48 percent of their shots and taking a 35-32 advantage into the locker rooms at halftime.

Freshman guard Audrey Cunningham was hot from behind the arc, knocking down three from behind the line for nine points in the first half. Stellmacher came on strong late with seven points and Pollard accounted for six points in the early stage of the contest. Gabrielle Gibson led the way for the Greyhounds with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting.

Conversely to the first half, the second half featured a rough start for the Chargers. Kelly Meredith ignited a 19-6 run with a lay-up underneath that was capped off by a jump shot from Katy Howard. The surge opened a 16 point lead for the Greyhounds, a lead that they would never relinquish.

Assumption’s defense may have been the difference. The Greyhounds forced 24 turnovers in the game and held the Chargers to 19 percent shooting (0-of-9 from long distance) in the second half. Assumption was also very efficient from the free-throw line (10-for-12) and controlled the glass with a 27-13 margin in the second frame.

With the loss, the Chargers dropped to 2-20 on the season and 1-17 in the Northeast-10 Conference. The Greyhounds moved closer to a first round bye, improving to 17-5, 14-4 in the league.

Meredith and Gibson led Assumption with 18 points each in the triumph.

UNH returns to action on Saturday, February 12 with its annual ‘Pink Zone’ game against Le Moyne College. Tip-off is set for 3:30 p.m. at Charger Gymnasium.