Box Score
The Northeastern women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaking 70-68 affair to Holy Cross on Wednesday night in Worcester. The Huskies, who led by as many as 10 points, carried a lead into the game's final 40 seconds, but couldn't hold off the Crusaders. Northeastern is now 1-8 (0-1 CAA) on the season.
Jewel Tunstull led the Huskies with 19 points.
Deanna Kerkhof scored 14 and
Dani Iervolino added 12.
Christine Huber collected a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
For Holy Cross, Alex Smith tallied a game-high 20 points. Emily Parker and Brisje Malone also scored in double figures, with 13 and 11 respectively. With the win, Holy Cross improves to 5-4 on the season.
Following a first half that featured large scoring swings, the Huskies and Crusaders engaged in a tightly-contested back-and-forth second half. A layup by Kerkohf at the 17:22 mark gave Northeastern a five-point advantage--the largest second-half lead for either team.
Holy Cross answered quickly, scoring five-straight points to knot the game at 45. A free throw by Kerkhof ended the Crusaders' run, before two free throws by Malone gave Holy Cross its first lead of the second half, 47-46, and first advantage since the 13:45 mark of the first half.
The teams continued to trade baskets until a Smith three gave Holy Cross its largest lead of the second half--three points--at 57-54 with 8:26 remaining.
The visitors regained the lead on back-to-back layups by Kerkhof and Huber. Holy Cross countered with a three from Ashley Cooper, which was then answered with a three from the Huskies' Iervolino, giving Northeastern a slim 61-60 lead with 6:27 left to play.
After trading free throws, Kerkhof connected on a jumper to give Northeastern a three point edge, 65-62. The Huskies, though, could manage only three more points over the final 3:56. Holy Cross took the lead for good on a Parker jumper with 29 seconds remaining in the game.
For the game, Northeastern shot 44 percent (25-57), including 32 percent (7-22) from 3-point range. The Huskies were 11-17 (65 percent) from the free throw line. Holy Cross connected on 40 percent of its field goal attempts (23-57), and matched that percentage from behind the arc, going 10-25. The Crusaders struggled at the charity stripe, making just 14 of 27 (52 percent). Holy Cross out-rebounded Northeastern, 41-33, while the Huskies doubled-up the Crusaders in steals, 12-6.
Over the first 20 minutes of play, the teams traded runs and 3-point baskets. The half featured 12 treys, with both teams shooting an identical 6-13 from long range.
Holy Cross connected on five of its first six shots, including a perfect two-for-two from 3-point range, to build an early six-point lead just four minutes into the game.
Northeastern responded with an 18-2 run midway through the half to build a 10-point lead--its largest of the game. Iervolino scored six points during the run on two 3-pointers.
The Crusaders responded with an 11-3 run to cut it to 32-30 at the 4:56 mark. Holy Cross would get as close as one, before a Tunstull layup with one second remaining gave the visiting side a three-point half time lead, 41-38.
Tunstull led the Huskies' first half charge with 12 points. Iervolino added nine and Geneviev Gaboriault chipped in eight. Alex Smith led all first-half scorers with 14 for Holy Cross.
Northeastern will take time off to focus on final exams before returning to the hardwood on Dec. 19, when it travels to Oxford, Ohio, to face Miami (Ohio). Game time is slated for 7 p.m.
