Dartmouth Survives Merrimack, 57-52

Wednesday, November 13

Hanover, N.H.

8:00 PM

Dartmouth College

2-0,0-0Ivy League

Merrimack

1-2,0-0NEC

Merrimack

Dartmouth

Junior Elle Louie

Photo by: Doug Austin

11/13/2019 10:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Warriors stormed back into it late in the fourth

By: Mike Miezejeski

HANOVER, N.H. – Dartmouth women's basketball led by 20 points with 4:55 left in regulation before Merrimack went on a 20-2 run to cut the lead to 54-52 with 1:07 to go. The Big Green would hang on, 57-52, to improve to 2-0 on the season, while the Warriors drop to 1-2 in the early going.

Three members of the Big Green were in double figures led by Annie McKenna, who finished with 14 points, five assists and four rebounds. Anna Luce came away with 12 points and four rebounds, while Paula Lenart had 10 points and eight boards. Elle Louie was everywhere, recording nine points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots. Asha Taylor finished with eight points and six rebounds off the bench.

for Merrimack, Denia Davis-Stewart recorded a 13 point, 10 rebound double-double, while Alyssa Casey had 15 points and Jayme Decesare finished with 10.

"We are grateful for the competition from Merrimack tonight, they are on a great start in their first year in Division One," said Belle Koclanes, the Gail Koziara Boudreaux '82 and Family Head Coach of Women's Basketball. "The major lesson from this game is figuring out how to finish games with a lead in the fourth quarter. We felt some of the pressure that they were bringing, so it's a great experience for our group to feel that and still be able to earn a victory."

After neither side was able to score over the first three minutes, it was Luce for the second straight game who scored the first Big Green points with 6:29 on the clock. Dartmouth ended the first quarter on a 9-6 run to take a 16-11 advantage into the second.

Merrimack closed its gap to 18-15 with 8:14 left in the half, but it was all Dartmouth for the remainder of the second quarter. The Big Green defense looked their best and did not allow the Warriors to score for the next 7:08. In the meantime, Dartmouth exploded for a 13-0 run, started by Louie, continued by five straight points by Taylor, and capped off by Veronica Kelly to take a commanding, 31-18, advantage at the break.

Scoring was even for both sides in the third. Luce and Lenart combined for 10 of Dartmouth's 12 points, while McKenna had the remaining two points as the Big Green maintained a 43-30 lead into the final quarter.

Dartmouth opened the fourth on a 9-2 run to extend its lead to 52-32 with 4:55 to go in regulation. Merrimack fought its way back and scored next 20 out of 22 points to cut the Big Green lead to 54-52 with 1:07 left. McKenna made two free throws and Lenart snagged a key steal with 19 seconds left and hit one at the line to ice the game.

The Big Green make their first road trip of the season when they travel to Fairfield for a Sunday meeting at 2 p.m.