Feb. 15, 2009
Box Score
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - Iona scored 31 points off 27 Siena turnovers to defeat the Saints 70-59 Sunday afternoon in a crucial Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game. The Gaels and Saints are now tied for fourth in the MAAC at 8-7 with three games left to play.
Siena (9-15, 8-7) and Iona (15-11, 8-7) went back and forth the first 15 minutes with five lead changes. Junior Merrick Volpe scored seven straight points and capped it off with a 3-pointer that tied the game 15-15.
Iona's Anda Ivkovic caused problems for the Siena defense. She led all scorers at the half with 14 points on 6-of-10 from the field, having success in the post and at the perimeter where she hit two 3-pointers.
Sophomore Serena Moore did a little bit of everything, scoring four points and then dishing a bounce pass to Heather Stec for the open layup to give the Saints a 17-15 lead with 7:17 left in the first half. On the next possession she rejected a Marissa Flagg layup. She finished with six points, seven rebounds, three assists and a block.
Siena committed 15 turnovers in the first half. Iona made them pay by scoring 19 points off those turnovers.
Iona went on a 15-4 run to finish the half with a 34-23 lead. Siena turned it over five times in the last six minutes. Ivkovic scored eight points during that run.
The Saints whittled Iona's lead down to 45-40 with 12:50 to play as junior transfer Allie Lindemann heated up and junior forward Sara Parnell added a spark off the bench. Lindemann scored eight points and Parnell scored five during that span.
But the Saints let it slip away with four turnovers in the next five minutes. Iona extended their lead to 10 points when Thazina Cook drained a 3 with 6:03 on the clock. Cook finished with 14 points, seven coming in the final 6:03.
Volpe scored a career-high 19 points and improved at the point in the second half with five assists and no turnovers. Moore did a solid job defensively on Ivkovic in the second half, limiting her to just four points.
Siena returns to action Friday when they host Fairfield at 7 p.m. Seniors Heather Stec and Jess Edmonds will be honored in a pre-game ceremony.
