Purdue Fort Wayne
Fairfield
Mastodons Fall in Heartbreaker 58-57
12/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 20, 2009
Fairfield, CT – The IPFW Mastodons dropped a heartbreaker to the Stags of Fairfield University, as Stephanie Geehan hit a mid-range jump shot with 17.1 seconds to play to put Fairfield up by one, and the Mastodons were unable to convert on any of their three attempts over the last ten seconds, falling by one, 58-57.
“I’m almost speechless right now,” said IPFW Head Coach Chris Paul. “We have a really good basketball team, and we’re playing really good competition. Night in and night out we are laying it on the line, and it seems like when push comes to shove we can’t get over the hump. I’m really proud of what they did; riding 16 hours in a bus, two nights in a hotel, losing a lot of sleep. To come in here and play as hard as they did – putting themselves in a position to win, and then to give up a bucket with 18 seconds left and still be composed and get three good looks down the stretch, I am really proud of them.”
Freshman Sydney Weinert, in her first collegiate start, picked up a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double, as Stephanie Rosado scored 14, and Jordan Zuppe 12, including a three-point basket that put the ‘Dons ahead by one at 57-56. Courtney Reed dished out five assists to lead the team, as Rosado and Eva Ivanova each blocked two shots.
IPFW, despite being travel-logged after riding 650 miles and 14-plus hours on a bus, jumped out with ferocity, making seven of their first eight shots, jumping ahead 10-0 and 12-2 by the first media timeout 4:40 into the game.
Fairfield fought and climbed right back into the game with a 23-7 run that gave the hosts a 25-19 lead with 6:04 remaining in the opening stanza. The six point deficit would be the highest the Mastodons would see in the first half, as IPFW used a 6-2 run to close the first half, cutting the deficit to two at 31-29 heading into the locker room at halftime.
IPFW scored to open the second half, as the teams traded baskets, the teams reaching a tie three times over the first four minutes of the second half. Fairfield was able respond by putting together a string of points to lead by nine at 50-41 with 9:59 left to play in the game.
The Mastodons, after trimming the lead to seven, were able to use a 7-0 run propelled by a pair of Zuppe three-point baskets, and an Anne Boese free throw, that once again tied the score, this time at 54 all with 3:29 to play in the game.
A Tara Flaherty basket was countered by Weinert’s final points of the game, before Geehan made a lay-in with 3:16 to play to give the hosts a two-point lead.
With 58 seconds on the clock, Zuppe was able to make a three-point basket from the top of the key to put IPFW ahead 57-56, setting up the late-game heroics of Geehan. The Mastodons went 0-3 from the field ten seconds, with two of the attempts coming from long range.
“Coming into the game, we have played the 39th toughest schedule (Saragin Computer Ratings) in the country,” said the Head Coach. “We keep battling, and putting ourselves in a position to win. They have to understand that we’re are playing some very good teams. We are a good basketball team. We have to keep improving, play Indiana Tech, and Louisville, and keep our heads up, and then get ready for conference play. We are 1-0 in the league right now, and that is all that really matters.”
Geehan scored a game-high 17 points while pulling down 12 rebounds with Taryn Johnson scored 11 and Desiree Pina 10.
The Mastodons will look to regroup after traveling back to Fort Wayne, as the squad will host in-town foe Indiana Tech on Wednesday, December 23 at 7:00 PM at the Hilliard Gates Sports Center.
~Dons~
