Jan. 9, 2009

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

ALBANY, N.Y. - Senior forward Heather Stec scored a career-high 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Siena past Rider University 58-54 Friday afternoon at the Times Union Center. Stec shot 9-of-11 from the field in her fourth double-double of the season. Siena snaps a three-game losing streak and extends Rider's slide to 11 in a row.

Siena (3-10, 2-2) and Rider (2-12, 0-4) started the game ice cold as they started 0-for-4 and 0-for-5 respectively. Tammy Meyers hit two 3's in 30 seconds as the Broncs jumped out to a 12-6 lead with 13:24 remaining. Siena went on a 9-0 run to take back the lead 15-12 with 8:54 left on the clock. Junior guard Allie Lindemann drained 3-of-4 3's, all coming in the final nine minutes of the first half.

Rider outscored Siena 11-3 the last five minutes and took a 26-25 lead into halftime. The Saints shot 44% in the first half while the Broncs only hit 33.3% of their attempts. The Saints (10) and Broncs (9) combined for 19 turnovers, but Siena took advantage with 15 points off the miscues.

Stec took the game over in the second half, scoring eight points in the first 90 seconds. But Meyers and Shaunice Parker kept the Broncs in the game as they scored the next 16 of their team's 20 points. They teamed up for 21 of Rider's 28 points in the second half.

Both teams clamped down on the defensive end in the last few minutes. Siena scored their last field goal of the game at 6:05 but they allowed just one basket in the final four minutes. Junior guard Merrick Volpe sealed it when she drained two free throws with 20 seconds left.

Freshman guard Cristina Centeno produced off the bench with eight points on 4-of-7 shooting and five assists to just one turnover. Junior forward Sarah Fullmer was the only Siena player besides Stec to score double figures. She scored 11 on 5-of-9 from the field.

Siena's bench was a difference maker, outscoring the Broncs 22-5. They came in to the game averaging 14.1 points per game.

Siena returns to action Sunday when they host Niagara at UHY Court at Alumni Recreation Center in Loudonville. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on Time Warner 3.