February 10, 2006 - Loyola 60 Rider 40
February 10, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women’s College Basketball
Loyola College 60, Rider University 40
BALTIMORE, MD—The Broncs played even with Loyola in the second half, but a 20-point deficit in the first half was too much to overcome, as Rider lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Loyola Friday. “We just couldn’t score in the first half, and that killed us,” said Rider head coach Tori Harrison.
The game was a bit of a homecoming for Rider head coach Tori Harrison, who is a Baltimore native and was a Parade All-American at Towson Catholic High School. “It was good to be back home,. But it was bittersweet,” said Harrison. “It would have been better if we had won.”
Loyola (14-8, 9-4 MAAC) jumped out to an 8-1 lead and never trailed. Holding a 12-7 lead, Loyola went on a 13-1 run to take a 25-8 lead, and the Greyhounds led 33-13 at the half. Both teams scored 27 points in the second half.
Holding a 34-17 lead, the Greyhounds out-scored Rider 9-2 to take a 43-19 lead with 12:30 left to play to put the game away. Loyola has won six of its last seven games.
Rider out-scored Loyola 14-5 over the final seven minutes of the game, six by sophomore Janele Henderson (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin), who finished with nine points and seven rebounds for the Broncs despite still being under the weather.
For the Broncs (2-20, 1-12 MAAC), freshman Danielle Costantino (Norristown, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) scored 12 points off the bench, including nine in the second half. Costantino is averaging just 18 minutes played per game, but has compiled 123 points in her last 300 minutes played, an average of over 15 points per 40 minutes played.
Costantino currently leads the Broncs with 17 three-point field goals made for the season.
Junior Kara Borel (East Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) added eight points, 10 rebounds and three steals. Borel is second in the MAAC in steals and fourth in rebounding. Her 10 rebounds tonight gives her 549 for her career, ninth highest ever at Rider.
Loyola was led by Kerri-Lynn Orsini, who came in off the bench to score 12 points, nine in the second half. Jackie Valderas also came in off the Loyola bench to contribute 12 points, making all six of her foul shots.
Loyola out-rebounded Rider 54-36, with 5’8” Brittany Dunn and 6’4” Vanessa Ruffin combining for 21 rebounds.
Rider hosts Saint Peter’s Sunday for a MAAC televised game at 4pm on the Madison Square Garden network. “Hopefully being on television will pump the girls up and they’ll be excited about it and play well,” said Harrison.
-RU-
