Jan. 18, 2009

Box Score | Photo Gallery

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Marist outscored Siena 17-4 in the final 4:37 to squeak by the Saints 65-55 at Alumni Recreation Center Sunday afternoon. Siena led for most of the game (32 minutes and 50 seconds), but went just 2-for-11 from the field in the final 6 ½ minutes. Junior guard Allie Lindemann led Siena with 17 points and six rebounds in her first career game against the Red Foxes. Julianne Viani led all scorers with 23 points (9-of-9 from the free throw line).

Siena (5-11, 4-3) jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first 3 ½ minutes on 3-pointers by Lindemann (2) and Cathy Cockrum. Marist (17-1, 8-0) then went on a 10-2 run to cut it to one point. Junior forward Sarah Fullmer, who had a dominating first half, responded with a 3-pointer. She scored 12 points on 5-of-8 (2-2 3-pointers) from the field in the first half. The first half was illustrated perfectly when she sent MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Rachele Fitz crashing to the floor on a blocked shot with five minutes left. Fullmer had three blocks in the game.

Siena took a 27-25 lead into halftime. They hit 5-of-11 3-pointers and held Marist to just 31% from the field. Siena shutdown Fitz and Viani, each scoring just four points at intermission.

The Saints continued to bring the 904 fans in attendance to their feet in the opening minutes of the second half. Sophomore Serena Moore hit a layup just 11 seconds in and took a 35-29 lead at 16:23 with Cockrum's layup. But Viani and Fitz got it going for the Red Foxes. The duo scored 23 of their team's next 26 points in a 14-minute span.

Senior forward Heather Stec played just 13 minutes (her fewest since December 8, 2006) because of foul trouble. She picked up her third foul at 14:40 of the second half and her fourth at 11:10.

Siena held a 51-48 lead at 5:01 with a Lindemann layup, but Viani hit a 3-pointer and Fitz scored an old fashioned 3-point play to take a 54-51 lead that they would never give up.

Marist owned the free throw line, hitting 21-of-26 attempts while Siena was just 2-of-3 in the game. Siena's bench outscored the opponent 17-14, the fifth time in as many games. Lindemann scored 11 of Siena's final 15 points in the game.

Marist won their last five conference games by a 31.2 average. On Sunday they took all they could handle from the Saints.

Siena returns to action Friday when they play Manhattan in Riverdale, N.Y. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.