Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Saint Joseph's
Dragons Lose Shooting Struggle at Saint Joseph's
11/14/2007 9:16:22 PM | Women's Basketball
Philadelphia, Pa. - Drexel shot just 27 percent on the road at Saint Joseph's but in a game fraught with turnovers, the Dragons managed to hang in until nearly the end. Gabriela Marginean contributed an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double to the cause. But three straight three-pointers by Jenna Loschiavo sunk the Dragons (0-2) in a 49-40 loss to the Hawks (2-0).
The Dragons made just six field goals in the first half and struggled through a drought of just over 12 minutes with only one field goal by Andrea Peterson as the only drop on an arid court of missed shots. Despite the lack of offense, Drexel's defense played well enough to force 14 turnovers and keep the team in the game. The Dragons trailed by just nine points 26-17, at halftime.
It was more of the same for the Dragons in the second half as the team struggled through seven minutes before Delise Johnson knocked down a 16-footer at the end of the shot clock to make it 30-19. But a pair of back-to-back buckets by Marginean and Narissa Suber made it a manageable eight-point game at 32-24, with 11:23 left in the contest.
On the other end of the court, the Dragons defended well in the post for the majority of the evening, allowing the Hawks' leading scorer from the season opener, Ashley Logue, to record just four points on the blocks. But Drexel fell victim to the Hawks perimeter shooting down the stretch. After the Dragons pulled it to eight, Jenna Loschiavo, Saint Joseph's lone returning starter from last season's A-10 finalist team, knocked down three consecutive three-pointers to give the Hawks their biggest lead of the game, 43-28 with just under seven minutes to play.
Drexel turned up the pressure with five minutes to play and generated a layup off a steal by Andrea Peterson. Just minutes later Narissa Suber would drill a three-pointer from the corner and draw a foul. The senior converted her four-point play at the free-throw line, cutting Saint Joseph's lead to 45-38 with 3:20 on the clock. A pair of missed free throws by Sarah Acker gave the Dragons a golden opportunity to cut into the lead but a driving layup attempt by Suber missed its mark, as did her follow-up offering after snaring the offensive rebound.
Acker sealed the victory when she corraled an offensive rebound off a miss by Loschiavo and converted one of two free-throws. Suber missed a three-pointer on a hand-off from Marginean on the other end, the Dragons grabbed two offensive rebounds in the sequence of plays that followed, but could not get the ensuing shots to fall, in a miserable microcosm of team's shooting efforts on the evening.
Saint Joseph's shot just 37.8 percent in the game and only 33 percent in the second half, but the Hawks found their mark from distance, connecting on 9-of-15 three-point attempts. Drexel was 15-for-54 in the contest and 3-of-14 from deep.
Marginean's double-double was the 10th of her career, she also chipped in two assists and a team-high two steals. Narissa Suber added six points and three rebouds, all of them on the offensive glass. Loschiavo led the Hawks with 16 points on 5-for-8 shooting from distance and freshman Sarah Acker grabbed 11 rebounds for a second straight game.
The Dragons return to action this Saturday, facing their second Philadelphia team in as many games, when La Salle visits the Daskalakis Athletic Center. The game will tip off at 1:00 p.m. and can be heard live on www.drexeldragons.com with Pat Delsi and Stephanie Mix.
