GLASSBORO, NJ – Elizabethtown College defeated Rowan University, 73-67 in the championship game of the Holiday Inn Runnemede Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday. Prior, Neumann College had an 86-60 victory over Brooklyn College in the consolation game.
Consolation – Neumann 86, Brooklyn 60
Boxscore
Neumann had five players that scored double digits. Guard Brittany Whetts (fr. Philadelphia, PA/Bartram) led the way with 15 points and seven rebounds. Guard Syreeta Brown (jr. Wilmington, DE/St. Elizabeth) and guard Caitlin Agnew (fr. Philadelphia, PA/Little Flower) followed with 14 and 13 points respectively. Brown was selected to the Holiday Inn Tip-Off All-Tournament team. Guard Mary Beth Szczesny (jr. Philadelphia, PA/Cardinal Dougherty) totaled 12 points on four three pointers and guard Dominique Thompson (fr. Wayne, PA/Conestoga) added 10 points.
Brooklyn guard Christina McDonnell (fr. Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) scored a game-high 16 points. She was named to the All-Tournament Team. Guard Brittany Natiello (sr. Wurtsboro, NY/Port Jervis) contributed nine points and four assists. Forward Ryane Hecker (so. Corona, NY/St. Francis Prep) pulled down eight rebounds.
Championship – Elizabethtown 73, Rowan 67
Boxscore
Guard Erin Walton (jr. Columbus, NJ/Northern Burlington) scored a game-high 33 points. She also ripped down seven rebounds en route to being named to the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Guard Megan Quinn (so. Millersville, PA/Penn Manor) added 13 points and three steals. Forward Audrey Hitz (jr. Lebanon, PA/Annville-Cleona) contributed six points, seven rebounds and five assists. She was selected to the All-Tournament Team.
Rowan was led by guard Nicole Perrini (jr. Parsippany, NJ/Parsippany Hills) and forward Ashley Cieplicki (so. Haworth, NJ/Dumont) with 14 points apiece. Cieplicki also had seven rebounds. Guard Brynn DeGroff (so. Wildwood Crest, NJ/Wildwood) chipped in 13 points and forward Lauren Byrne (sr. Paulsboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) pulled down 10 rebounds. Guard Kristina Wallace (jr. Logan Twp., NJ/Clearview Reg.) dished nine assists. Byrne and Wallace earned All-Tournament Team honors.
In the second half, Elizabethtown went on a 6-0 run to lengthen its lead to 12 points (50-38) at 14:57. Walton scored four points in the run. At 4:45, the Blue Jays had a 65-56 advantage. Rowan scored eight straight points to come within one. Cieplicki contributed four points, while center Katie Shaw (jr. Wallington, NJ/Wallington) and Wallace each had two. Elizabethtown had another 6-0 stretch, building a 71-64 lead. Walton scored all six points with four free throws and a layup. The closest Rowan came was four points (71-67) with 22 seconds remaining after a three pointer by DeGroff.
Elizabethtown was up 35-31 at halftime. The Blue Jays started quickly by scoring the games first seven points. At 13:55, Rowan tied the score at nine after a layup by Shaw. The game was tied three more times, with the last one at 3:05.
