Two games in three nights proved to be too large an obstacle for the injury riddled Niagara College women's basketball program on Sunday, February 2nd, as the team dropped a tough 71-49 loss to the St. Clair Saints at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre.
Despite being without their two leading scorers and most experienced players Tara Giallonardo and Shelby Johnston, the Knights opened the contest strong taking a 28-27 lead into halftime.
A pair of St. Catharines natives in Mary Ingribelli and Miranda Ross provided the bulk of the offense for the Knights. Ingribelli, a five-foot-eight guard, finished with a team high 17 points while also adding eight rebounds. While the veteran six-foot-one Ross added 13 points and a game high 19 rebounds.
The injury depleted Knights faded in the second half, and the red hot scoring touch of Saints forward Shannon Kennedy put the Knights in too big a hole to recover. Kennedy finished with a game high 29 points, including 17 in the second half.
After the game Knights head Coach Mike Beccaria commented "St. Clair just wore us down, plain and simple. We were out gunned today. We have some issues to work on, but overall I was pleased with our effort tonight."
The loss drops the Knights to 9-6 on the season, and the team sits securely in the sixth and final playoff spot in the OCAA West Division.
Up next for the Knights is a road trip to Sudbury for a pair of games versus the Cambrian Golden Shield on February 8th and 9th, before wrapping up the 2013-14 regular season on February 14th at home against the Humber Hawks.
