­­MANCHESTER, N.H. – Despite a strong afternoon defensively, the University of New Haven women's basketball team dropped a 54-44 decision on the road at Southern New Hampshire on Saturday. Leading the Chargers in the contest was junior guard Alexandria Kerr (Montclair, N.J./Montclair) who finished with 21 points, all of which came in the second half.

In the second half alone, Kerr shot 7-of-18 from the field, 39 percent, while adding a pair of three pointers and was 5-of-8 at the free throw line. Joining her in leading the Chargers in the game was freshman Brie Pergola (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) who finished with eight points and Allieyah Cubbage (North Plainfield, N.J./Roselle Catholic) who chipped in five. Overall, all eight New Haven players who saw time finished with at least one point in the game.

Cubbage also led New Haven with 12 rebounds, a season-high and tying her career-high set last season against STAC (Feb. 7). Just behind Cubbage in the rebounding battle was Kerr who finished one shy of her second double double of the season with nine boards. In addition to her eight points, Pergola also led New Haven with three assists.

FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

·         Defensively, the Chargers opened the game according to plan, forcing Southern New Hampshire into low percentage shots, which showed as the Penmen started out 1-of-9 (11.1 percent) from the field.

·         In that same span, New Haven was able to open up a 6-2 lead, which they eventually expanded to 9-4 at the first media timeout. That five point lead came courtesy of the game's first three point bucket as Sianna Van Dyke (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) drained the first long range attempt for New Haven off a feed from Pergola.

·         Following the first media timeout, the Chargers would be held scoreless over the final 4:30 of the quarter, during which time the Penmen rattled off nine unanswered points to take a 13-9 lead into the intermission.

·         New Haven's nine first quarter points came from four different players, with Van Dyke's three pointer leading the Chargers scorers.

SECOND QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

·         Pergola opened up the Chargers scoring in the second quarter as she broke a nearly seven minute drought for New Haven with her first of back-to-back buckets for the Blue and Gold.

·         The Penmen turned around their first quarter shooting struggles in the second period as they closed out the frame shooting 56.3 percent (9-of-16).

·         Pergola's two second quarter jumpers led the Chargers, while the only other points in the period came from Cubbage as she drained a second chance opportunity with 2:28 remaining before the break.

THIRD QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

·         Coming out of the halftime break, the Chargers defense was again on point, holding the Penmen scoreless on their first three possessions, including Khayla Trowell (Temple Hills, Md./Elizabeth Seton Catholic) stepping in to force a turnover on the opening possession.

·         New Haven would put the first points on the board in the third quarter as Kerr went coast-to-coast for her first bucket of the day after pulling down the board on the other end.

·         The Chargers defense again proved tough for SNHU when Micah Wormack (Cumberland, Md./Allegany) came off the bench to garner the first stuff of the afternoon for New Haven. On the other end, Cubbage turned that into a three point play with just shy of six minutes remaining in the period.

·         After finishing the first half scoreless, Kerr led the Chargers in the third quarter as she rattled in 11 points, including the final seven points in the frame, which pulled the Blue and Gold within 12 at the break, 44-32.

·         Despite three points in the final five minutes, all at the free throw line, the Chargers held Southern New Hampshire without a field goal over the final 5:02 of the third period.

FOURTH QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

·         Kerr continued her hot streak from the end of the third when she scored on a layup to open up the fourth quarter and pull the Chargers within 10, 44-34.

·         The Penmen's shooting struggles continued in the fourth quarter as they made just two of their first nine attempts. During that drought, Pergola was able to pull New Haven into a single digit deficit when she drilled a 17 foot jumper as the shot clock was set to expire.

·         New Haven looked to make a run late in the contest when they again held the Penmen without a field goal, this time ranging the final 2:45 of the contest. The Chargers were only able to muster five points over that stretch, all of which came from Kerr.

·         The junior again led New Haven in the period as she scored 10 points over the final 10 minutes.

·         Over the final 20 minutes, New Haven managed to hold the Penmen to just 23.3 percent from the field (7-of-30).

UP NEXT
The Chargers reopen Northeast Division play when they close out the month of January against crosstown rival Southern Connecticut State University of Wednesday, January 31. Opening tip at Moore Fieldhouse is scheduled for 5:30 pm.