The Saint Peter's College women's basketball team won their second consecutive game Sunday afternoon against the Rider University Broncs, 65-54. The Peahens had three players in double figures, Kristal Edwards (career-high 16 points), Jynae Judson (14 points) and Khadijah Young (10 points). Although the game featured 6 tied scores, and 5 lead changes, the Peahens were able to hold on to a lead for the majority of the contest to secure the victory. Saint Peter's improved to 2-15, 2-4 MAAC, while Rider falls to 10-7, 2-4 MAAC.
Rider got on the board right away, just four seconds into the first half as Carleigh Brown made a quick layup following the tip. Jynae Judson gave the Peahens an early 4-3 lead after connecting on both of her first two field goal attempts.
Kristal Edwards paced Saint Peter's early on, going a perfect 3-3 from the field to give SPC a 12-8 lead at the first media timeout. Despite a strong offensive effort by the Peahens, they did turn the ball over three times in the opening six minutes of the stanza.
A conventional three-point play by Rider's Alyssa Parsons brought the Broncs within 1 at 12-11 just under the sixteen-minute mark.
The Peahens responded with a 4-0 run, and were able to maintain a lead until 9:50, when Rider's Emily Fazzini drained a jumper from the elbow to tie the game up at 16-16. A made free-throw by Edwards and a 15 foot jump shot from Lauren Morris gave Saint Peter's a 19-16 advantage less than forty seconds later. Judson extended SPC's lead to 5 points following the under-eight media timeout, banking in a two-pointer. A jumper in the paint by Edwards at 6:47 made the score 23-16.
Saint Peter's managed to keep Rider scoreless for the next three minutes, until Carleigh Brown went 2-2 from the line to bring the Broncs within 5 points at 23-18. Rider failed to make a field goal for almost five minutes, dating back to Fazzini's two-pointer in the ninth minute.
The Broncs threatened to take their first lead of the half with less than two minutes left, after both Browns (Carleigh and Dior) combined for four points to bring the hosts within two at 26-24. Khadijah Young would later drain a trey and Jesika Holmes added a free throw to send Saint Peter's into the half-time break with a 30-26 lead.
For the first half, Saint Peter's shot 34.3% from the field and 16.7% from three-point range, while Rider shot 28.1% and 0.0%, respectively. The Peahens pulled down 25 first half rebounds, to the Broncs' 23.
Entering the second half, the Broncs tied the game up on two separate occasions, until they gained their first lead (35-33) at 16:09, after Chambers converted a layup. Young responded by sinking a long distance three to again put the Peahens ahead 36-35.
Saint Peter's soon entered a scoring drought, going 0-8 from the floor and allowing Rider to establish a 41-40 advantage, mid-way through the frame. The Peahens were also in foul trouble, as each of the five starters had two or more fouls.
At 9:35 however, Judson found Lovisa Hagberg open under the basket to score Saint Peter's first field goal in almost four minutes and retake the lead at 42-41. Judson added a two pointer of her own twenty-four seconds later, to give SPC a three-point cushion at 44-41.
A conventional three-point play at 7:04 by junior forward Jesika Holmes put the Peahens in front 49-44. Holmes came up with a big steal less than a minute later, that lead to a fast-break layup, to give Saint Peter's a seven point lead (51-44).
At 3:03 Quiana Porter would sink two free-throws and make the score 55-48 in Saint Peter's favor. Saint Peter's went 8-12 from the line (Khadijah Young, 4-4) in the final minute and a half to finalize the 65-54 victory.
The Peahens were led by Kristal Edwards, who had career-highs in both points (16) and rebounds (12). Jynae Judson finished second on the team in scoring with 14 points, and added 7 rebounds. Khadijah Young was also in double-figures with 10 points. Rider's Sironda Chambers had a team-high 16 points, while MyNeishia McKenzie had 4 points and a game-high 16 rebounds.
Overall, Saint Peter's shot 35.9% from the field and 25.0% from three-point range. Rider finished shooting 27.7% from the floor and 8.3% from beyond the arc. The Peahens won the battle of the boards, pulling down 65 rebounds to Rider's 54. Both teams committed 17 turnovers.
Saint Peter's will return to action next Friday, January 20th, as they host the Iona Gaels for a 7pm tipoff.
