EASTON, Mass. (Interstat) — Stonehill held off Saint Francis (PA) 59-57 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Thursday at Merkert Gymnasium. The Skyhawks used a dominant 22-point second quarter to overcome an early deficit and survive a late push. Gemma Walker led the Red Flash with 17 points. Stonehill’s Brooke Paquette matched that with 17 points and six assists, while Julia Webster added 15 points. Saint Francis led 21-13 after the first quarter but was outscored by 14 in the second. The Red Flash closed to within two points late in the fourth quarter before Stonehill secured the win. Stonehill improved to 6-10. Saint Francis fell to 1-15.

EASTON, Mass. (Interstat) — In a game defined by dramatic momentum swings and a frantic final minute, the Stonehill Skyhawks escaped with a 59-57 victory over the Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash in a Northeast Conference women’s basketball matchup Thursday night at Merkert Gymnasium. The game’s decisive sequence unfolded in the closing seconds. With the score tied at 57 and 2.2 seconds remaining, Stonehill’s Ella Pelletier was fouled on a rebound attempt. Pelletier made the first free throw to put the Skyhawks ahead but missed the second. Saint Francis’ Shelby Ricks secured the defensive rebound and called an immediate timeout with 1.1 seconds left. Out of the timeout, the Red Flash inbounded the ball to leading scorer Gemma Walker, but her desperation three-point attempt from the wing as time expired missed the mark, sealing the narrow win for the home team. The contest was a tale of contrasting halves. Saint Francis (1-15) raced out to a commanding early lead, fueled by a blistering first quarter. The Red Flash opened the game on a 9-0 run, highlighted by a Makyiah Ward steal and layup followed by a Walker three-pointer. They led 21-13 after the first period, dominating the paint and converting Stonehill turnovers into points. Stonehill (6-10) responded with a dominant second quarter, outscoring Saint Francis 22-8 to take control. The Skyhawks’ defense tightened, holding the Red Flash to a single field goal over a critical seven-minute stretch. A balanced offensive attack, led by Julia Webster and Brooke Paquette, erased the deficit and built a 35-29 halftime advantage. The Skyhawks extended their lead to as many as 11 points in the third quarter, but the resilient Red Flash refused to fade. Saint Francis chipped away in the fourth, leveraging their interior defense, which produced 10 blocked shots on the night, including three each from Ricks and Ward. Walker, a 5-foot-10 guard from Venetia, Pennsylvania, spearheaded the comeback attempt, scoring 17 of her game-high 17 points in the second half. Her three-pointer with 1:32 remaining in the game tied the score at 57, setting the stage for the tense finish. Stonehill was led by the backcourt duo of Paquette and Webster. Paquette, a 5-8 guard from Hudson, New Hampshire, finished with 17 points and six assists, including two crucial free throws with 1:12 left. Webster, a 6-foot forward from Cumberland, Rhode Island, added 15 points and played a game-high 38 minutes. Breana Delaney contributed 10 points and four assists for the Skyhawks. For Saint Francis, Ricks joined Walker in double figures with 10 points to go along with her three blocks. Aleah James added eight points off the bench. The game was a defensive struggle, with both teams shooting under 35% from the floor. Saint Francis held a slight edge in points in the paint, 32-30, and points off turnovers, 10-9, but Stonehill’s ability to weather the early storm and execute in the final moments proved the difference. The announced attendance was 101. Saint Francis will look to rebound on the road Saturday at Central Connecticut. Stonehill continues its homestand Saturday against Mercyhurst. The most important part of the game was the final 2.2 seconds. With the score deadlocked, the outcome hinged entirely on Pelletier’s free throws. Her make and subsequent miss created a chaotic final possession, where Saint Francis, despite a well-designed play to get the ball to their top scorer, could not convert a last-second heave, allowing Stonehill to secure a victory they nearly let slip away.

EASTON, Mass. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum in Northeast Conference play will meet Thursday when the Stonehill Skyhawks host the Saint Francis (PA) Red Flash at Merkert Gymnasium. The Skyhawks (5-10, 1-3 NEC) look to bounce back from a narrow 51-48 road loss to Chicago State on Saturday. Stonehill’s offense runs heavily through guard Brooke Paquette, who leads the team in scoring and has been a model of durability. She has logged 39 or more minutes in three of the last four games, including an 18-point, 6-assist performance in a 71-53 win over Central Connecticut on Jan. 8. They face a Saint Francis (PA) squad (1-14, 1-3) that has struggled mightily this season, with its lone win a 75-67 victory over Wagner on Jan. 8. The Red Flash are coming off a 77-61 home loss to Long Island, a game in which sophomore guard Gemma Walker scored a career-high 20 points. Walker has emerged as a bright spot, averaging 12.8 points over her last five contests. Defense will be a point of emphasis for both sides. The Red Flash have allowed 86.7 points per game in their 14 losses, including a 98-46 defeat at Pittsburgh in non-conference play. Stonehill has shown an ability to lock down at home, holding Central Connecticut to 53 points in its last home outing. Historically, this is a relatively new conference rivalry. Both programs will be looking to secure a win before embarking on difficult stretches. Following this game, Stonehill hosts Mercyhurst on Saturday, while Saint Francis travels to face Central Connecticut. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. EST Thursday at Merkert Gymnasium.