NEC Tournament Headquarters
Box Score
Loretto, PA - Four Red Flash players scored in double figures to lead Saint Francis University of Pennsylvania to its ninth Northeast Conference championship in the last 10 years in a 65-50 NEC title game victory over Robert Morris University on Saturday afternoon at the Stokes Center.
Winners of the last four NEC championships, Saint Francis has now won 27 consecutive NEC Tournament games and will advance to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons.
SFU senior starters Christin Black (Fairmont, WV/Fairmont), 17, Beth Swink (Connellsville, PA/Connellsville), 13, Regina Schlichter (Benton, PA/Benton), 11, and Sarah Bolten (Batavia, OH/Glen Este), 11, all scored in double figures. Swink earned NEC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors and Black also landed a spot on the NEC All-Tournament Team. Bolten reached the 1,000-point plateau in her career with her 11 markers in the win.
NEC Player-of-the-Year Sugiery Monsac (Villa Maria, D.R./Arizona Western J.C.) posted her 21st double-double of the season, scoring 20 points and grabbing 13 rebounds for Robert Morris. Tess Cooley (Memphis, TN/Coffeyville J.C.) added 18 points and seven boards. Both Colonial players were selected to the All-Tournament Team.
Black scored 13 of her 17 points in the first half to stake Saint Francis to a 28-20 halftime lead. The NEC’s 2004-05 Defensive Player-of-the-Year showcased her outside shooting touch in the first half against the Colonials, sinking three-of-four shots from three-point range. She canned back-to-back treys to open the game and also paced the Flash on the afternoon in rebounds (eight) and assists (five).
Saint Francis stretched its advantage to 15 points, 48-33, on a lay-up by Swink with 8:22 to play before Robert Morris began to chip away at the SFU lead. The Colonials mounted an 11-3 run behind six points from Monsac and the junior’s two free throws with 2:49 to play trimmed SFU’s lead to seven, 51-44.
The nine-time NEC champion Red Flash assumed control of the game down the stretch, however, outscoring RMU, 14-6, to close the contest. Saint Francis sank nine of its final 10 attempts from the free throw line in the final two minutes to clinch the victory.
Black finished the game four-for-10 from the field and six-for-six from the free throw line. Swink was five-for-11 from the floor and three-for-five from the line.
Monsac sank seven-of-15 shots from the field and six-of-six attempts from the line. Cooley was seven-for-11 from the floor and two-for-two from the stripe.
“This was a great character win for our program today,” said Red Flash head coach Jill Poe. “We had different players step up at different times for us this afternoon. Amber (Hein) handled their full-court pressure the entire game. Christin (Black) stepped up and attacked their defense. Sarah’s (Bolten) defense really hampered their rhythm on offense and Regina (Schlichter) hurt RMU when they tried to double-team Beth.”
“Obviously, it’s very special to capture another NEC championship. What is even better, however, is to watch our seniors get another ring. It is truly remarkable what they have done for the program and the University.”
Saint Francis (21-9) shot 46.5 percent (20-for-43) from the field and 50.0 percent (five-for-10) from three-point territory. Robert Morris (20-10) was 18-for-54 (33.3 percent) from the floor and two-for-13 (15.4 percent) from outside the arc. SFU outrebounded the Colonials, 34-32.
The win was the 14th straight for the Flash, dating back to a 67-63 loss to Robert Morris at the Stokes Center, January 18. The 50 points for Robert Morris were the fewest scored by the Colonials in a game this season, matching the 50 that RMU netted in a 57-50 home loss to Saint Francis, February 20.
2005 NEC Women's Basketball All-Tournament Team
Beth Swink, St. Francis (PA) - MVP
Christin Black, St. Francis (PA)
Sugiery Monsac, Robert Morris
Tess Cooley, Robert Morris
Krystal Pressley, Quinnipiac