MARCH 15, 2003
BOB ZIADIE, SPORTS INFORMATION
Box Score
EASTERN CONNECTICUT CONTINUES ROAD SUCCESS WITH 67-57 VICTORY OVER
KING'S
WILKES-BARRE -- All-American forward Allison Coleman posted a
triple-double with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists as Eastern
Connecticut State University continued its road magic with a 67-57 over
seventh-ranked host King's College in the NCAA Division III
Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Sectional semi-finals in Wilkes-Barre.
With the win, ECSU (26-4) will face Bowdoin College (26-2) in the
sectional championship game Saturday at 7:00 p.m. with the winner gaining
a berth in the Division III "Final Four".
Eastern Connecticut, ranked 21st nationally trailed 38-33 at
half-time but stormed out of the locker room and assumed command.
The Warriors opened the second stanza with a 11-5 run keyed by a pair of
baskets by Coleman, a three-pointer from Kathleen Burdelski, and buckets
from Deanne Prior and Sarah McDonald to take a 44-43 lead with 16:02
remaining. King's would regain the advantage briefly on a bucket by
junior point-guard Tiffini Varrasse, but the Warriors recaptured the lead for good on a pair
of foul shots by Burdelski to put ECSU on top 46-45 with 15:05 left in the
contest.
The Warriors padded the lead with consecutive baskets by Morgan Perry and
McDonald to push the score to 50-45 with 13:16 remaining and things would
get worse for King's when Varrasse left the game with her fourth foul and
went to the bench with with just under 12 minutes left. Nikki
Kingston would hit a jumper for the Lady Monarchs to close to within 50-47
with 11:14 on the clock but King's (24-4) would draw no closer.
The Warriors closed out the
game with a 10-4 run to walk away with its second consecutive national
tournament road victory. ECSU bested DeSales 65-61 a week earlier in
Center Valley.
ECSU scorched the nets all game, canning 51.9 (14-27) percent from the
field in the first-half, while shooting 55.6 (15-27) percent in the second
half. King's shot a solid 51.6 (16-31) percent in the first half but
went cold in the final frame, shooting just 22.2 (6-27) percent from the
field.
McDonald helped pace ECSU with 14 points while Burdelski and Prior added
nine each. Prior also chipped in with seven rebounds.
King's was paced by senior forward Jen Wozniak who ended her career with a
game-high 24 points and seven rebounds. Varrasse added 12 points and five
assists. Senior forward Carissa Ryan chipped in with seven points and six
assists.
