Men’s Basketball
At the beginning of the week, senior guard Mason Mendygral was nominated to the Atlantic East Conference Honor Roll, after averaging 12.5 points between the two-game set the week prior against Gwynedd Mercy University and Pratt Institute.
With a mini bye, due to the seven team format of men’s basketball in the Atlantic East Conference, Marywood ended its hiatus from the hardwood by traveling to Marymount University. Just a season ago, the Pacers earned a gutsy road victory against the Saints and it seemed that Marywood would need an encore performance, as both squads went shot for shot. The largest lead for either team was seven, lasting just one possession. As the halftime buzzer sounded, Marymount had a narrow lead of four.
Marywood would steal the lead back in the opening three minutes of the second half, before the teeter for the lead continued. With just under seven minutes of regulation remaining, the Saints would seize the lead. Despite consistently staying within one possession, Marywood couldn’t get any of their go-ahead shots to fall, eventually having to play the foul game. Unsuccessfully, Marywood suffered a third nail-biting defeat in four conference bouts, 85-80. The defense struggled in the trip to Arlington, Va. allowing 58.2% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc to the Saints. The offense was sensational, led by Brendan Franko’s 23-point performance, supported by 15 points each by Mendygral and Michel Loftin, the latter’s new career high.
Women’s Basketball
Similar to the men’s team, the Pacers started their week with an Atlantic East Conference Honor Roll nod, with senior guard Olivia Ciullo making the list after her 20-point, 12-rebound performance in Marywood’s first conference victory of the season.
After 10 days off their feet, Marywood returned to play, facing the Saints of Marymount University. The lengthy lay off was evident early, as the Pacers came out flat. Their shooting consistency was shaky, allowing Marymount’s lead to balloon to as many as 13. Though Marywood found more rhythm offensively in the second, the Saints were scorching from the field, missing just four shots in the quarter. Marywood would need a miraculous second half to comeback.
Again, the Pacers offense stayed potent, Marymount matched the Pacers and then some, taking a 22-point lead into the fourth. Needing virtually every shot to fall, Marywood only saw two of its 21 attempts through, as Marywood suffered an ugly second Atlantic East Conference loss, 75-48. Despite only attempting 21 shots in the entire second half, Marymount converted on 10 of them, on par for their 55.3% make rate from the field. Ciullo and sophomore guard Kendal Card scored 14 and 13 respectively, with Card matching her career best.
Women’s Swimming and Diving
After splitting in a conference tri-meet against Immaculata University and Marymount University, the Pacers made the trip down the PA Turnpike to face the Cedar Crest College Falcons. The Pacers dominated, having a swimmer place first in all but three races, with sophomore Camila Gil being the victor in all three for the Falcons. Sophomore Molly Englehart and senior Samantha Peck both had a trio of top finishes, with Englehart claiming the 50, 100 and 200 yard freestyle, as Peck notched victories in the 100 and 200 yard butterfly, along with the 1,000 yard freestyle.
All stats from MarywoodPacers.com as of Jan. 19
Contact the writer: [email protected]
