Drexel University Athletics
Drexel University
Siena
Dragons Drop a Heartbreaker to Siena, 59-55
11/28/2007 9:46:22 PM | Women's Basketball
Philadelphia, Pa. - On a night in which junior forward Nicole Hester was honored by the CAA as a source of inspiration to others, it took an inspired effort by the Dragons (1-5) to come back from a 12-point deficit in the second half. Narissa Suber knocked down the third of her four three-pointers to give the Dragons a 50-49 lead with seven minutes to play. But it would be the Dragons' only lead of the game as Siena (3-4) marched to a 59-55 victory.
After Suber's three pointer, Shondaya Burrell took over to score eight of the Saints' final 10 points. Burrell, who had just three points in the game prior to her dominant play in the final minutes, finished with 11 for Siena. Narissa Suber drilled her fourth and final three-pointer of the game with 1:39 left to cut Siena's lead to 55-53, but Burrell made a layup and drew a foul on the other end of the court. After the pesky guard obligingly missed her free throw, Suber found the ball in her hands at the end of the shot clock on Drexel's end. Suber drove the lane and rolled in straight-on layup to make it 57-55 with a minute remaining.
Drexel's defense drew an offensive foul on Laura Menty with 44.5 seconds on the clock to get the ball back with a chance to tie the game. The Dragons brought the ball down court and worked through their offense with a three-point attempt by Gabriela Marginean as the result. Her shot came up just short, but Delise Johnson was there to grab the rebound. Johnson put up two put-back attempts, both of which were unsuccessful, before diving to the ground after the lose ball. Fortunately for the Dragons, the ball touched the line with Siena in possession and Drexel retained possession with 17.3 seconds left.
After calling a timeout the Dragons set up a play for speedy guard Jasmina Rosseel who beat her defender at the top of the arc and took the ball in for a layup on the right side. She was met by two more Saints in the post but managed to scoop a layup attempt toward the backboard, it went wide of the rim. Siena's Melissa Manzer collected the rebound and was quickly fouled. Manzer converted both free-throws with 5.1 seconds on the clock. Rosseel's three-point attempt was blocked at the buzzer as Drexel fell to 1-5 on the season.
Narissa Suber turned in a vintage performance, leading the team with 22 points and a season-high four three-pointers. Marginean put together her third double-double of the year with 15 points and 13 rebounds, she also led the Dragons with three assists and three steals. Laura Menty led the way for the Saints with 18 points, Manzer added 12 and Burrell had 11 points and three steals.
Drexel managed to take 17 more shots than the Saints and make two more field goals on the game, but the Dragons made just one-third of their attempts from the floor in both halves which proved to be their eventual undoing. Siena shot 41.3 percent for the game and was 5-of-17 from deep.
Both teams got off to a lethargic start in the contest, combining to score just 14 points through the first eight minutes of play. But Siena pulled out of the funk first, going on a 12-3 run, jump started by a Manzer three-pointer and capped with a free-throw by Sarah Fullmer at the 6:26 mark to make it 24-14 in Siena's favor.
Drexel could only pull to within seven points from that point until the end of the period. Marginean tried to spur the team on with a steal on the perimeter for a break-away layup. But it was not enough to swing the momentum as the Dragons went into the locker room trailing 34-25.
Drexel will have time to lick it wounds as the team will be out of action until Dec. 8 when the Dayton Flyers come to the DAC for a 1:00 p.m. tilt.
Nicole Hester was honored by CAA Commissioner Tom Yeager at halftime of the contest. Yeager presented Hester with the John H. Randolph Inspiration Award. Hester was chosen for the distinction after she battled back from Hodgkin's Lymphoma, which kept her out of commission last year, to rejoin her team this season. Hester shared the honor with Towson baseball player Corey Cascio, who will also be honored at an on-campus ceremony this year.
