Gulls Open Season with 78-60 Win over Smith

Nov. 19, 2004

Endicott College spurted past Smith tonight for a 78-60 season opening win at the Tufts Invitational in Medford, MA. The victory advances the Gulls to the championship game tomorrow at 3:00 where they will meet host Tufts, who silenced Bryn Mawr, 88-23, in the first game.

The Gulls came out to a commanding 20-10 lead in the beginning of the first half, but Smith charged back hitting 5 treys to pull within two at the half, 34-32. Endicott broke the game open in the first part of the second half, turning a 34-34 tie into a 60-38 lead with a 26-4 run ending at 11:01. Junior guard Liz Yuneman (Middle Village, NY) and junior co-captain Jodi Brown (Coventry, RI) led the charge with seven points apiece during the stretch. Smith College would get no closer than 14 points, 67-53, following a pair of free throws by junior Kerry Jo Nagle (Florence, MA) at 4:17.

Yuneman finished with 18 points (and 5 steals) to lead Endicott, including 6 for 8 shooting from the field. Sophomore Lisa Chartier (Templeton, MA) recorded a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) in her first night in an Endicott jersey. Brown rounded out the scoring in double figures with 13 points of her own. Sophomore point guard Carly Haynes led the Gulls on defense, forcing numerous Smith turnovers, while also dishing out 4 assists and scoring 6 points. Post player's McKenzie Ferguson, Holly Beth Wojcik, and Marisa Botta added 8, 7 and 6 points respectively. All 14 Gulls contributed to the win, in which Endicott shot 71% from the free throw line (25-35) and 39% from the field (42% behind the arc).

The Pioneers were paced by junior Shelley Harrison's (Reston, VA) 14 points, seven rebounds, four blocks and four steals. Sophomore guard Nati Lenchner (Azor, Israel) had 13 points including three threes.