From University of Rochester Athletics
Lena Ethington produced her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds to spark the University of Rochester to a 67-55 victory over Keene State College in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championships.
Alexandra Leslie scored a team high 16 points for the Yellowjackets. Lauren Deming had 14 points, and Sarah Kaminsky scored 10. Lauren Foley finished with eight points while Lizzy Atkinson hit a pair of three-pointers to score six points.
Rochester improved to 18-8 overall. The Yellowjackets will meet SUNY Geneseo in the second round on Saturday at 7 pm at Geneseo. The Knights won, 65-53, over Muhlenberg College. Geneseo is 27-1.
Sandi Purcell scored a game-leading 21 points for Keene State (21-8). She scored all 21 from three-point range, sinking seven of 18 outside the arc. Stephanie D'Annolfo had 14 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Amanda Petrow scored six points and grabbed 11 rebounds, six on the offensive glass.
Despite the Owls having the one-two board punch, Rochester won the rebounding battle. The Yellowjackets held a 46-43 edge and scored 20 second chance points on 11 offensive rebounds. UR had 26 points in the paint. KSC scored 11 second chance points on 16 offensive rebounds and had 20 points in the paint.
Rochester's shooting was the difference. The Yellowjackets finished the evening making 24 baskets in 59 attempts (40.7%). Keene State College hit 19 of 67 floor shots (28.4%). They were roughly equal outside the arc. Rochester was 7-25 (Kaminsky hit three) and Keene State was 8-24. Emily McPadden had the only three-point basket not scored by Purcell.
The Yellowjackets led by three points after one quarter and by four (27-23) at halftime. UR started to build some extension in the third quarter. After two free throws by D'Annolfo pulled KSC within 27-25, Rochester went on an 11-0 run. Leslie hit back to back jumpers. Foley made two free throws, Kaminsky sank a three-pointer, and Foley finished the burst with a layup. In span of three minutes, UR went from a two-point lead to a 13-point advantage (38-25). The lead stayed in double figures through the quarter and Rochester headed into the fourth period with a 49-38 edge.
Notes: This was the 17th time in 26 games that Rochester hit better than 40% from the floor. UR is 15-2 under those circumstances… Al Leslie is the single-season leader in free throws made in a season with 134. She passed Jody Lavin (1981-82) who had 133… Leslie boosted her point total to 571 points this year, 1,402 all-time. She remains third in career scoring… With 758 career rebounds, she is tied with Jeanette Bubniak (1985-89) for sixth place… The NCAA win was Jim Scheible's 25th such win at Rochester. He has taken the Yellowjackets to the tournament on 11 occasions. He is 25-12 at Rochester in the NCAAs, 27-14 overall (counting two years at Elmira)… Ethington's points and rebounds are career highs.