SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio. – Freshman guard Seina Adachi (Attica, Ohio) drilled four three-pointers and totaled 27 points and junior guard Ciara Reed (Milan, Ohio) added five three-pointers and 19 points to lead the Notre Dame College women's basketball team to an 80-74 non-league victory over Daemen College here today.
The game was the first meeting of the two former American Mideast Conference rivals since the 2010-11 season. Both institutions recently completed the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II. Daemen, which had prevailed in 17 of the previous 19 meetings between the teams, dropped to 2-2 on the year. NDC, which posted its first win over Daemen since the 2007-08 season, improved to 2-3.
Junior Sarah Saba (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) paced the Wildcats with 24 points, three assists and two steals. The 24 points was just two shy of her career high (26) she posted during a win over Long Island University—Post last year. Senior Leah McDonell (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Cardinal O'Hara) continued her strong start to the season and finished with 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and a career-high six steals. Freshman guard Sydney Jones (Clifton Springs, N.Y./Midlakes) added eight points and three assists. Senior Natalie Galus (Hamburg, N.Y./Frontier) chipped in seven points, a team-high seven rebounds and two blocks, while freshman Jordan Heinold (Hamburg, N.Y./Immaculata) added seven points and four boards.
Adachi and Reed went a combined 9-for-20 from behind the arc today and helped the hosts finish 11-for-33 from downtown overall. It marked the second-straight game that an opponent made 10 or more three-pointers in a game against the Wildcats. Edinboro canned 13-of-29 three-pointers in a win over Daemen last Wednesday.
Adachi, who also contributed three assists and three steals, scored 18 of her 27 points in the first half. Reed had the hot hand in the second half, as she made 4-of-6 from downtown and scored 16 points after halftime. Senior forward Kelsey Miller (Fresno, Ohio) recorded her second double-double of the year and finished with 18 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two steals.
The teams traded baskets for the first six minutes and NDC held a 10-9 lead when a layup by McDonell sparked the Wildcats on a 7-0 run. A conventional three-point play by McDonell with 1:42 left in the quarter capped the spurt and gave Daemen a 16-10 lead. NDC scored the final four points of the frame and Daemen took a 16-14 lead into the second quarter.
Daemen opened the second quarter with a 9-0 run. Saba got the run started with a layup and senior Rachel Pawlak (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Niagara-Wheatfield) followed with a three-pointer from the top of the key. NDC misfired on a triple at the other end and a rebound by Saba led to a fast-break layup by senior Jesse DeWaters (Lockport, N.Y./Niagara CC). A jumper by Saba with 7:11 left in the quarter capped the run and gave the Wildcats their largest lead of the game, 25-14. Daemen managed just four points the rest of the quarter and the hosts took advantage with a 20-4 run. Adachi sparked the rally with three three-pointers and 12 points, and a three-pointer by Reed with 2:03 left in the half capped it and gave NDC a 34-29 lead. Two free throws by McDonell closed out the first-half scoring and the hosts took a 34-31 lead into the break.
NDC opened the second half with a layup by Miller and a three-pointer by Reed, and later took a 44-35 lead following a triple by freshman guard Marisa Finazzo (Willoughby Hills, Ohio) with 6:31 left in the third quarter. Daemen answered with a triple by Saba on the next possession, and after a NDC miss the Wildcats cut it to a three-point game, 44-41, following a three-pointer by Galus. Daemen eventually regained the lead, 50-49, following a steal and layup by Saba with just over three minutes left in the frame. The teams then traded 5-0 runs, before NDC closed out the quarter with a triple by Reed and two free throws by Miller for a 59-55 lead.
Daemen opened the final quarter with six-straight points for a 61-59 lead, but the hosts regained a four-point lead following back-to-back triples by Reed. A jumper by Jones midway through the fourth made the score 69-65 NDC, and the hosts scored the next five points for a 74-65 lead with just over two minutes left. The teams traded points and the lead was still nine (78-69) when the Wildcats made things interesting in the final minute following a jumper by Galus and a three-pointer by Saba. Miller canned two free throws with 16 seconds left to close out the scoring.
Daemen shot a season-high 47-percent (27-57) from the field overall and connected on 5-of-12 from long range. The Wildcats made 15-of-17 from the charity stripe. NDC shot 39-percent (26-66) overall and went 11-for-33 from downtown. The Falcons canned 17-of-19 free throws.
NDC forced 21 Daemen turnovers and the hosts converted the miscues into 26 points. The Falcons collected 17 offensive rebounds—which they turned into 18 second-chance points—and finished with a 39-32 edge in total rebounds.
Daemen returns to action Saturday (Nov. 26) when it travels to Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y. for a non-league game.
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