January 17, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

Smith Basketball Falls to Wheaton, 65-41

Northampton, MA: Sophomore forward Jenny Champney (Bedford, MA) tallied a game high 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Lyons of Wheaton College in their 65-41 defeat of Smith today in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) contest. With the victory, Wheaton improved to 9-6 overall and 3-1 in the conference while the Pioneers dropped to 7-7 overall and 1-3 in the NEWMAC.

Senior forward Krystin Hickey (Manchester, NH) scored the first hoop of the game for Wheaton but Smith's Meredith Murelli (Litchfield, CT) answered with back-to-back baskets to give the Pioneers a 4-2 lead. Senior guard Bri Smith (Westford, MA) tallied a three for the Lyons to put the visitors up 5-4 but two hoops and a free throw by Berit Schelde (Holstebro, Denmark) gave Smith a 9-5 advantage. The Lyons chipped away at the Smith lead and tied the game at 12 and at 14.  With 6:08 remaining and the Lyons ahead 23-22, Wheaton ran off 18 unanswered points as Smith missed six shots and committed seven turnovers to give the Lyons a 41-22 lead at the half.

Wheaton increased its lead by as much as 28 points in the second half which proved too  much for Smith to overcome. Ida Kruse (Vershire, VT) and Hickey each tallied 9 points for Wheaton and Andrea Bailey (Needham, MA) picked up five assists.   Jessica Welk (Arlington, WA) and Schelde each scored nine for Smith while Courtney Parker (Ocean City, MD) was the team's leading rebounder with eight.

Smith returns to action on Wednesday, January 21st when it travels to NEWMAC rival Springfield College for a 7:30 pm contest while Wheaton travels to Tufts for a non-conference game on Tuesday, January 20th at 7 p.m.