Box Score
Willimantic, CT- The Eastern Connecticut State Warriors (4-3) handed Williams College (6-2) their second loss of the season in their second round game of the season. The Warriors defended their home court by a score of 53-46 in a low scoring game highlighted by missed opportunities for both sides. For Williams, the game featured the much anticipated return of junior point guard Amanni Fernandez, who had been sidelined by an injury for the Ephs' six game winning streak. Fernandez came off the bench to lead her team with 16 points and 6 assists, a stat line that included perfect 3-3 shooting from behind the arc for the player who led the NESCAC in three point percentage a year ago. For Eastern, Jordyn Nappi matched Fernandez with 16 of her own while her teammate Lexis Foster controlled the paint on her way to a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Eastern Connecticut dominated the boards throughout the game led by the efforts of Foster and her partner in the paint Kelsey Santagata. The duo combined for nine rebounds in the first quarter alone, several of them on the offensive end which led to five more shot attempts for the Warriors compared to the Ephs. Eastern turned their advantage on the glass into a 14-9 lead on the scoreboard, with Lauren McCall hitting two threes in the quarter just to keep Williams within shouting distance.
Fernandez looked sharp in the second quarter, fighting through the Warrior defense and getting to the basket almost at will. Her ability to make smart decisions in tight areas down low is perhaps the element of the Williams offense that has been missing the most in her absence. Her seven points along with McCall's third three pointer comprised all of the Ephs' scoring in the second quarter. Turnovers plagued both teams, minimizing offensive opportunities and keeping the game relatively low scoring. That played to the favor of the struggling Ephs offense, as Eastern was not able to gain any separation, taking a 24-19 point lead into halftime. The Warrior's continued to hold a rebounding advantage, 20-15, including a 7-4 differential on the offensive end.
The Ephs' offensive struggles finally caught up to them in the third quarter, as they lagged behind the pace set by the Warriors. Williams was able to find open looks, yet they lacked an ability to finish when given the chance. Nappi and Kelly Reardon led a 15-9 third quarter run, combining for 9 of those 15 points. Eastern Connecticut continued their hard work on the boards, culminating in an offensive possession that included two offensive rebounds for the Warriors. The sequence ultimately led to a three point play from freshman Mia Vylard that gave her team an 11 point lead 39-28. The largest lead of the game to that point would hold for the rest of the quarter.
The Warrior lead quickly grew to 14 when Eastern senior Julie Depoi knocked down a three pointer. Williams then mounted a comeback, cutting the lead all the way down to four thanks to two threes from Fernandez and two layups from Lydia Zaleski. Reardon and Santagata responded by scoring consecutive baskets to stretch the lead back to eight points, a margin that proved to be too great for Williams to overcome.
Williams head coach Pat Manning said her team lacked the intensity they needed to get a win on the road: "When you're going into someone else's gym, you need to match the intensity that they bring, especially against a good team with good senior leadership. We came out slow and they jumped on us right from the start." Manning said about the return of Fernandez, "Amanni is our floor leader so having her back was really a plus although we were without Devon [Caveney], so we were really putting out a different lineup tonight. Still, there's no excuse for the lack of intensity." Manning went on to point out that unforced errors have been killing the Ephs' attack, as they turned the ball over 11 times in the first half alone, most occurring without any Warrior influence.
Next on the schedule for the Ephs is a tilt with fellow NESCAC school Wesleyan University at 1:00 PM on Saturday.
