December 4, 2005
For Immediate Release
Contact:  Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

 
Mount Holyoke Retains Seven Sisters Basketball Title

 
Northampton, MA:  In a come from behind 63-57 victory, the Lyons of Mount Holyoke College defeated Swarthmore in the title game of the 2005 Seven Sisters Basketball Tournament to claim the championship for the fourth consecutive year. In other games today, Smith College took third place defeating Wellesley 52-42; Vassar placed fifth defeating St. Joseph College 58-49 and Bryn Mawr took seventh place defeating Haverford 59-56.

            Ten players were selected to the All Tournament Team:  Jessica Allen (Bryn Mawr), Katie Crowley (Haverford), Jeanne Powers (Mount Holyoke), Ashley Sutton (Smith), Karen Berk (Swarthmore), Debbie Farrelly (Swarthmore), Jennifer Stevenson (Swarthmore), Kristin Doeberl (Wellesley),  Shelley Harrison from Smith was named the Best Defensive Player with Jonee Billy of Mount Holyoke named the MVP.

Championship Game –
Mount Holyoke 63, Swarthmore 57
Jonee Billy scored a game high 22 points for Mount Holyoke including the last three points of the game to lead the Lyons to their fourth championship title. Swarthmore took an early 4-0 lead in the first three minutes of play with the Lyons tying it up at 4 and then 6. The remainder of the half found the Garnet taking a 3-4 point lead with the Lyons chipping away until they tied it again at 28 with three seconds remaining in the half on two free throws by Angela Astuccio. The second half found the Garnet again taking a 3-4 point lead which they maintained until the 5:08 mark when Jonee Billy converted a free throw to tie it at 54.  Karen Berk scored for Swarthmore with Chistine Godin answering for the Lyons. With 2:17 remaining, Joeanna Silvey sank a hoop to give the Lyons a 58-56 lead but Berk cut it to one after making a free throw. With 1:22 left, Godin scored again and Billy scored the next three points to seal the Lyons’ victory.
(box score)

Third Place – Smith 52, Wellesley 42
The Pioneers took an early 10-5 lead on hoops by Jessie Paull, Helena Charron and Jen Daley but Wellesley scored 6 unanswered points to take a 11-10 lead at the 10 minute mark. Smith regained the lead with 3 minutes remaining and had a five point advantage 25-20 at the half. Wellesley closed the gap to three points but the Pioneers extended their lead behind the shooting of Ashley Sutton who scored 11 of her 14 points in the second half to take the 52-42 win.  Smith’s Shelley Harrison tallied a game high 12 rebounds and Kristin Doeberl of Wellesley scored a team high 10 points.
(box score)

Fifth Place - Vassar 58, Saint Joseph 49
Meredith McGair and Rachel Cerlen led the Brewers with 13 points each en route to Vassar’s victory today. The Brewers outscored the Blue Jay’s in the first half 23-14 and that differential won the game for Vassar as both teams scored 35 points in the second half.  Keri Hallberg and Sam Krupa each scored 14 with teammate Corinne Byrne adding 10 points with 12 rebounds in the loss for Saint Joseph.
(box score)

Seventh Place – Bryn Mawr 59, Haverford 56
Three players scored in double figures for Bryn Mawr as they defeated Haverford 59-56.  Jessica Allen scored a game high 18 with Julia Harris adding 15 and Amy Johnson 14.  Allen also pulled down a team high 11 rebounds. Haverford was led by Katie Crowley with 17 points and 11 rebounds and Claire Scribner with 11 points. The game was tied at 50 with 4:53 remaining but Bryn Mawr outscored the Fords 9-6 on hoops by Allen and Johnson to take the win.
(box score)