MAAC Women's Basketball in 2014 Post Season Action
MAAC Sports
EDISON, N.J. - The Quinnipiac University women's basketball team finished the regular season in fourth place and advanced to the MAAC Championship title game where they fell to Marist College 70-66. The Bobcats accepted an invitation to play in the 2014 Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). This marked the third consecutive season and fourth time in Division I, the Bobcats qualified for a national postseason tournament. In the first round of the WNIT, the Bobcats fell to Villanova University of the Big East 74-66. Brittany McQuain finished the game with 19 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Samantha Guastella finished the game with her fourth double-double of the season scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds. Nikoline Ostergaard finished with 11 points and eight rebounds while Gillian Abshire finished with 12 points and eight assists. With the loss, Quinnipiac ends their season with an overall record of 21-13.
The Iona College Gaels women’s basketball team finished the regular season as MAAC co-champions and lost in the MAAC semifinals to Quinnipiac 79-68. The Gaels earned its second consecutive trip, and fifth overall, to the WNIT. In the first round of the WNIT, the Gaels fell to Harvard 90-89 at the Hynes Athletics Center. Trailing by one, Harvard's Christine Clark connected on a coast-to-coast layup with 0.8 seconds left to lead the Crimson to the one point win. Junior guard Damika Martinez led the Gaels with a game high 29 points, connecting on 12-of-21 attempts from the field, including five from behind the arc. Junior guard Aleesha Powell scored 21 points off the bench, connecting on 7-of-10 of her attempts fro the field while sophomore guard Aaliyah Robinson scored 17 points and connected on five three pointers. Overall, Iona knocked down a single game record 17 three-point field goals in the contest. Iona completes the 2013-14 season with a program record 26 victories, and its fifth 20-win season.
The Fairfield University Stags women’s basketball team finished the regular season in third place and fell in the MAAC quarterfinals to the Rider 63-56. The Stags were selected to play in the 2014 Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI). It is Fairfield's second consecutive appearance in the WBI and the third in program history. In addition, it is Fairfield's fourth national postseason berth in the last five seasons. In the opening round of the WBI, the sixth-seeded Stags came from behind to defeat third-seeded Bryant University, 90-86, in double overtime. Senior Katie Cizynski recorded her 12th double-double of the season, finishing with 24 points and 13 rebounds in 50 minutes of action. Senior Brittany Obi-Tabot had her second double-double of the year with 20 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in 49 minutes of action. Sophomore Kristin Schatzlein tallied 19 points on 7-for-13 shooting; including five three-pointers, while senior Alexys Vazquez had 17 points, including five three-pointers. The Stags will host the seventh-seeded University of Maine on Sunday, March 23 at 2pm in Alumni Hall for the quarterfinals round of the WBI.
The Marist College Red Foxes women’s basketball team won it’s 11th consecutive regular season league title and earned it’s 9th consecutive MAAC Championship crown with a 70-66 victory over Quinnipiac to earn its 10th trip the NCAA Tournament. The Red Foxes received an 11 seed and will be facing off against No. 6 Iowa of the Big Ten in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. This will be the first meeting in program history between Iowa and Marist. The Red Foxes have won four first round games in tournament history and five games overall. This is the third time overall and the second straight year that Marist has played a team from the Big Ten in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.