Jan. 25, 2012

Box Score

OLEAN, N.Y. - Leading by seven midway through the second half, the Saint Joseph's women's basketball team couldn't hold off a late St. Bonaventure charge as the Hawks fell 68-61 Wednesday evening at the Reilly Center. The Hawks got sophomore guard Erin Shields (Drexel Hill, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) led the Hawks with 12 points and added three assists.

Behind an 8-0 lead, the Hawks (13-6, 3-2 Atlantic 10) opened a 45-38 edge on a three pointer by senior guard Katie Kuester (Media, Pa./Academy of Notre Dame de Namur) at 13:53.

St. Bonaventure (19-2, 6-0 A-10) responded with a 9-0 run to take a 47-45 game on a jumper by Doris Ortega with 11:41 to go.

The Hawks would tie the game four times from there, but the Bonnies would pull away, taking a 62-54 lead on jumper in the paint by Armelia Horton with 1:48 to go.

Saint Joseph's would get no closer than six points from there as St. Bonaventure hit 6-of-8 from the foul line to end the game.

In a back-and-forth first half, Saint Joseph's used a 7-0 run midway through the half to erase a one-point deficit and take a 20-14 lead on a layup by senior guard Michelle Baker (Wilmington, Del./Brandywine) at 10:39.

The Bonnies answered with an 11-2 run over the four minutes as a layup by Cece Dixon gave her team a 25-22 advantage. St. Bonaventure would continue to push, opening its lead to as many as six, 32-26 with three minutes left in the half.

The Hawks closed the half with a 5-0 run as a three pointer by junior guard Mireia Vila (Cabrera De Mar, Spain/Escola De Santa Anna) brought SJU within 32-31 going into the second half.

For the game, the Hawks shot 25-of-65 from the field (38.5 percent), but went just 11-of-36 in the second half (30.6 percent). Baker was the only other Hawk in double figures, adding 12 points, while senior Kelly Cavallo (Hampton Bays, N.Y./Westhampton Beach) had 11 rebounds and eight points.

The Hawks return to action this Saturday when they host Duquesne at 2 p.m.