ATLANTIC CITY, NJ - Sixth-seeded Merrimack stunned No. 3 seeded Siena Women's Basketball in the Quarterfinals of the Hercules Tires Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall Thursday, defeating the Saints 79-72.
 
Merrimack - led by a game-high 27 points by Thalia Shepard - advances to the MAAC Semifinals to take on second-seeded Quinnipiac at 2:30 p.m. Friday. 
 
Ahniysha Jackson scored 26 points, and dished out a team-high three assists in her final game as a Saint. Teresa Seppala added 22 points and finished tied for the team lead with two steals. Anajah Brown scored 12 points, and came down with a team-high eight boards in her final Siena game. 
 
Merrimack led for 39:30 of the game that saw 72 combined free throws off 52 fouls between the teams. The Warriors also out-rebounded the Saints 36-23, and finished +5 on the offensive glass which helped lead to an 18-10 advantage on second chance points. 
 
The Saints had three turnovers and two offensive fouls through the opening 1:30 of the game, allowing the Warriors to jump out to a quick 6-0 advantage. Merrimack grew its lead to 12-2, but the Saints were able to cut their deficit to single digits by the end of the first. Fueled by seven Jackson points, Siena ended the quarter on an 11-5 run to trail 17-13 through the opening 10 minutes. 
 
Following a pair of Seppala free throws to make it a two point game, Merrimack went back up by 10 points by the 6:30 mark of the second. With the sides trading baskets for most of the quarter, key shots by KB Hadley, and free throws from Jackson and Seppala helped bring the team within six by the break. 
 
Merrimack came out of the break and out-scored the Saints by eight points in the third quarter on the back of 12-13 shooting from the free throw line. In the start of the fourth, however, Siena had an opportunity to inch closer while trailing by 14. Jackson converted an and-one opportunity and, following the play, a technical was called on Cadence Johnson of Merrimack. Jackson hit one from the line, and on Siena's possession following the shots Seppala was fouled on a shooting attempt. Her two makes cut Merrimack's lead to eight. 
 
The Warriors eventually went back up by 17 thereafter, but the Saints wouldn't back down. The team chipped away to get back within single digits with under three to play, and to as little as five points with 1:20 on the clock. But Merrimack hit eight of 10 free throws down the stretch with Siena doing all it could to extend the game. 
 
The first season under head coach Terry Primm saw another three-seed secured in the league tournament, as well as four All-MAAC selections in Seppala (unanimous First Team), Jackson (Second Team), Brown (Third Team), and Myriam Traore (All-Rookie Team). Seppala and Jackson also became members of the 1,000-point club, while Brown joined exclusive company as just the sixth player to achieve both 500 rebounds and 100 blocks in her career.
 
This post-game recap is proudly presented by The Brothers that just do Gutters, a proud partner of Siena Athletics. Trust the team that always comes through—on the court and for your home.