Pleasantville, N.Y.- The Setters pulled out a second half come-back to take the win over the Owls of Southern Connecticut State University, 62-59. The Setters advance to 4-1 overall and 3-1 in the Northeast-10 Conference, while the Owls drop to 2-3 overall and 0-3 in NE-10 play.
Both teams started off the game competitively not allowing more than a five point differential for the first fifteen minutes of the half. Pace saw their largest lead of the half, by two points, just 54 seconds into the game. It was at 5:13, and then again at 4:25 that the Setters allowed the Owls to go up by as much as eight points, their largest leads of the first half. A triple from Jessica Scannell (Cork, Ireland/St. Vincents) (Cork, Ireland / St. Vincents) with 2:11 in the half to help the Setters to stay within reach of just four points. Katie Stopera connected on a three-point play with just 45 second left that allowed the Owls to go into halftime up 35-28.
The Setters and Owls both scored 16 points in the paint and five points off of second-chance opportunities throughout the first half. Southern Connecticut managed to score 16 points off of turnovers to just six that Pace totaled. The Owls shot 55.6% from three point range and 50% from the field, while the Setters shot 28.6% and 42.9%, respectively.
The Owls came out to take their largest lead of the game, by 11 points three minutes into the second half. The Setters then went on a 13-0 run to take the lead at 12:57. Two free throws from the Owls tied it up before Margo Hackett (Pawling, NY/Pawling) (Pawling, NY / Pawling) connected on a triple to take the lead back once again. The Owls kept the score within five points, Pace's largest lead throughout the game, over the next two minutes before once again taking the lead back at 6:56. The Setters took the lead back at 5:43 on a three-point field goal from Allison Cleary (New Windsor, NY/Cornwall Central) (New Windsor, NY / Cornwall Central). The score would tie two more times before Hackett hit a triple to prompt the Setters to their eventual win. Though Mariah Hankton and Camille Fantini connected on free-throws, a layup from Brittany Shields (Cold Spring, NY / Haldane) and a free-throw from Scannell solidified their lead and the win, 62-59.
Though the Owls outscored Pace off of turnovers 22-12, the Setters finished by scoring six more points than the Owls in the paint. The Setters shot 43.9% from the field, 40% from three-point range and 60% from the free-throw line, while the Owls shot 40% from the field, 42.9% from the outside and 76.5% from the line.
Hankton led the Owls with 19 points, six steals, three rebounds and an assist. Jackie Beathea recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Shields led the Setters with 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal. Hackett contributed 16 points, four rebounds and three steals, while Scannell added ten points, seven assists, six rebounds, four steals and a block.
The Setters will host alumni day as they take on St. Rose Saturday, December 1 for a 1:30 pm match-up at Goldstein Fitness Center.
