SHIELDS RALLIES SETTERS IN SECOND HALF WITH CAREER HIGH 32 POINTS
#5 PACE SET TO SQUARE OFF AGAINST #12 MERRIMACK IN PLAYOFFS

BLOOMFIELD, NJ- The Setters, ranked #10 in the latest NCAA Division II Northeast Regional poll, rallied from a seven-point halftime deficit to knock off the Deacons of Bloomfield College 70-64 in Pace's regular season finale. Brittany Shields (Cold Spring, NY/Haldane) notched a career-high 32 points for the Setters as she 9-for-12 from the field and went 14-for-17 from the charity stripe. The win moves the Setters to 17-10 overall on the season, while Bloomfield falls to 13-14.

The Deacons would use their hot first half shooting to build a 35-25 lead with 4:10 left. The Setters would slice the lead down to seven at 39-32 heading into the break. Bloomfield shot 16-for-31 in the opening half, while the Setters shot 12-for-30 and a meager 1-for-13 from downtown.

Bloomfield would push their halftime lead back to 10 points at 50-40 with 17:30 remaining in the game. From that point, the Setters started their furious rally, launching a 30-14 run over the final 17+ minutes to pull away with the victory. Within the amazing 17 run was a stretch for the Setters of a 21-10 advantage that saw the Deacons connect on a mere two field goals with the Setters taking the lead for good at 61-60 on a Kristin Connolly (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) jumper with 3:21 left in the game. In the final three minutes, the Setters closed out with a 9-4 run with Shields hitting 4-for-4 from the free throw line to seal the victory.

For Pace, Shields set her career-best in points for the second time in the last three games she netted 32, with 14 coming from the charity stripe. Shields also grabbed nine rebounds, while Connolly tallied 13 points and six boards (five offensive). Lisa Welsome (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) totaled nine points, nine rebounds and three assists. Laura Mooney (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) dished out 10 assists on the night.

The Setters return to action on Sunday, March 1 when they will host the #12 seed Merrimack College Warriors in the opening round of the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament. Pace had clinched the #5 seed and the tip-off will be at 2 pm at Pace's Goldstein Fitness Center on its Pleasantville campus.