SAINTS TO TAKE ON ROCHESTERIN FIRST ROUND OF NCAA TOURNAMENT

Feb. 26. The NCAA announced the Division III women's basketball tournament brackets Monday morning pairing the St. Lawrence women's basketball team (24-3) with the University of Rochester (20-5) at 6 p.m. Friday, March 2 at Cortland State. Medaille (23-4) and Cortland (25-2) join St. Lawrence and Rochester as the four teams selected for the Cortland site. Second round games will take place Saturday March 3, with the sectionals on March 9-10. The semifinals of the NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament will be March 16 with the championship on March 17.

SAINTS RECEIVE NCAA TOURNAMENT BID

Feb. 25: The NCAA announced its field of 63 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament teams Sunday night, handing out an at-large bid to the St. Lawrence University women's basketball team. Thirty-nine teams automatically qualify for the tournament by winning their conference championship. Twenty-four other teams are selected based on win-loss winning percentage against teams in their region, quality of wins, in-region head-to-head competition and in-region results vs. regionally ranked teams.

The Saints, who finished 24-3 on the season but did not earn an automatic tournament bid after falling in the Liberty League Tournament final to Hamilton College, are currently ranked third in the East Region.

The NCAA will release the tournament pairings Monday morning.

HAMILTON TOPS SAINTS

IN LIBERTY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Feb. 24. Behind a late-game surge and 20 points from sophomore center Sydney Fasulo, Hamilton College (19-7) handed the St. Lawrence women's basketball team (24-3) a 61-55 loss Saturday afternoon at Burkman Gymnasium in Canton, NY.

With the score shifting back-and-forth throughout most of the second half, Hamilton gained the momentum with five minutes left in the game. Sophomore center Sydney Fasulo hit the offensive boards hard scoring four points off rebounds, while the Saints had no answer for junior forward Pumla Sathula. Sathula added 14 points, including eight in the second half. Hamilton shot 46 percent (26-of-56) from the field while St. Lawrence was 22-of-57. Hamilton also out-rebounded the Saints 39-29.

The Saints led 48-47 with 7:10 left to go in the game after sophomore forward Katie Palmer stole the ball on defense and drove it the length of the court for the lay-in and the foul. After the three-point play, the Saints had the lead and the momentum. Hamilton however, had an answer.

On their next possession, Fasulo grabbed an offensive rebound and stuck it back to put the Continentals back on top 49-48. Fasulo snatched another offensive rebound on the Continentals next possession and layed it to extend Hamilton's margin to 51-48.

It was a three-point shot by sophomore guard Molly Kane however, that took the life out of the Saints. With the Saints trailing just 51-49, Kane nailed a three-pointer in front of the Hamilton bench to put the Continentals up 54-49 with 4:45 left in the game. Although they kept it close, the Saints were not able to cut Hamilton's lead to less than three points.

Palmer scored 22 points and pulled down five rebounds to lead the Saints while senior guard Christie Herbst put in 13 points. Senior forward Andrea Muszynski scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds to round out the Saints in double-digit scoring.

Behind Fasulo and Sathula, Hamilton's sophomore guard Sarah Schrader added eight points for the Continentals.

The win gives Hamilton an automatic NCAA qualification. The NCAA Division III Selection Committee will announce the NCAA Tournament berths tomorrow at approximately 10 p.m. ET.

SAINTS OUTLAST HERONS IN LIBERTY LEAGUE SEMIFINAL

Feb. 23: William Smith could not do it twice; rally from a double-digit deficit to beat the Saints on their home court that is. It might have been a close one Friday night at Burkman Gymnsium in the Liberty League semifinal between league foes William Smith College and St. Lawrence University, but the Saints outlasted the Herons 69-64.

Trailing by as much as 51-35 with 11:54 left in the game, William Smith strung together a 25-8 run over the next 10 minutes to take a 60-59 advantage with 2:23 left to play. After junior forward Stephanie Czajkowski hit a jump shot that tied the game at 59, Junior guard Marisa Vespa hit one of two free throws to put the Herons on top. The Saints responded when junior guard Jamie Wolff conncected with Liberty League Player of the Year, Katie Palmer, for a full-length pass which Palmer pu in to put the Saints back on top 61-60.

The Saints did not allow the Herons another lead as junior guard Kimberly Sikule played stifling defense, forcing sophomore guard Latasha Coney into two important turnovers. On the ensuing possession, Sikule stole the ball from Coney and was fouled by senior guard Paula Foote. Sikule nailed two free throws to put the Saints up 63-60 with :59 left in the game. William Smith freshman Erin Cunningham matched with two free throws of her own to pull the Herons within a 63-62 margin.

On the next possession, Sikule stripped Coney again, threw a long pass to Palmer, who drove the ball to the basket and scored. After the long play, the scoreboard read 65-62. Palmer, Wolff and senior guard Brittany Gaetano sank free throws down the stretch to seal the victory for the Saints.

Wolff led all scorers with 22 points on a 7-of-12 shooting performance. Palmer tacked on 16 points, while senior forward Andrea Muszynski scored 12 points and pulled down four rebounds. Sikule led the Saints with 10 rebounds.

William Smith put four players in double figures. Cunningham led the Herons charge with 19 points and 11 rebounds, Foote scored 13 while Coney and Vespa had 12 apiece.

William Smith falls to 14-11 while St. Lawrence moves to 24-2 on the season and will play tomorrow in it's third consecutive tournament final. The Saints will take on Hamilton College at 3 p.m. in Burkman Gymnasium.

KROLL NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR;

PALMER PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Feb. 22: The Liberty League announced its women's basketball awards for the 2006-07 season Thursday morning, honoring four St. Lawrence players and naming St. Lawrence head coach Jennifer Kroll and her staff Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year. Kroll and assistant KJ Krasco guided the Saints to the Liberty League regular-season title with a 13-1 record in league play and a 23-2 overall record. Their season was highlighted by a school-record winning streak of 20 games during the season.

Sophomore forward Katie was named Liberty League Player of the Year for her outstanding season in 2006-07. Palmer was the leading scorer for the Saints averaging 13.7 points per game on the season and 15.2 points per game in conference play. Palmer was a four-time Liberty League Forward of the Week Selection. Palmer was also named Liberty League First-Team.

Junior guard Jamie Wolff joined Palmer as a Liberty League First-Team selection, making it her second straight year on that team. Wolff is averaging 11.7 points per game and shooting 42 percent from the field and 45 percent from behind the three-point line.

Senior guard Brittany Gaetano was named Liberty League Second-Team for the second time in her St. Lawrence career. Gaetano averages 7.3 points per game and is the Saints leader at the point guard position.

Kim Sikule was named Liberty League Honorable Mention for her strong 2006-07 season. The junior guard averaged 7.9 points per game during the conference season and was the Saints leading rebounder with 6.4 boards per game.

Joining Palmer and Wolff on the Liberty League First-Team is Rensselaer guard Whitney Coleman, Hamilton's Sydney Fasulo and William Smith's Marissa Vespa.

Rachel Cerlen from Vassar College, Krystal Coke of Skidmore College, Erin Cunningham from William Smith and Union's Krystal Hammond joined Gaetano on the second-team. Cunningham was also named Rookie of the Year.

The Saints, who earned the No. 1 seed in this weekend's Liberty League Tournament will take on William Smith College at 8 p.m. on Friday night in Burkman Gym in Canton, N.Y.

SAINTS EARN NO. 2 SEED IN LEAGUE TOURNAMENT

Feb. 17: The St. Lawrence men's basketball team (20-5, 10-5) sealed up the No. 2 seed in the Liberty League tournament this afternoon with a 79-55 win over Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The Saints will take on Vassar College on Friday, February 23 at 6 p.m. Hamilton College, 11-3 in the league, earned a No. 1 seed and will host the tournament Feb. 23 and 24. Hamilton will take on the No. 4 seeded Union College at 8 p.m. on Feb. 23.

On Saturday afternoon, senior guard Matt Blue led the way for the Saints in the first half, posting 14 points in the first 20 minutes of play. The Saints took a 43-22 lead into halftime as Blue shot 4-of-4 from behind the three point arc. The Saints outrebounded the Thoroughbreds 27-12 in the first half and controlled the interior game.

St. Lawrence carried their momentum over into the second half, never allowing Skidmore back into the game. Sophomore forward Bela Vonnak scored 13 points and pulled down seven rebounds while junior guard Tyler Shaver added 10 points off the bench to round out the Saints in double-digit scoring. Sophomore forward Rich Williams pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds to lead the Saints on the glass. St. Lawrence finished the game with a 51-27 rebounding advantage.

Skidmore junior forwardd Jonah Haviland-Markowitz led the Thoroughbreds with 13 points and five rebounds. Skidmore finishes the season at 2-22 and 1-13 in the Liberty League.

The Saints will continue practice all of next week before travelling to Hamilton for the league tournament on Friday.

SAINTS TOP UNION 86-73

Feb. 16: The St. Lawrence men's basektball team (19-5, 9-4) rebounded from losses to Hamilton and Hobart Colleges on Feb. 9 and 10 with an 86-73 victory over Union College Friday night at the Viniar Athletic Center in Schnectady, N.Y. The Saints, who put five players in double-digit scoring, rallied from a slow start to finish strong in the second half.

The Saints trailed 44-41 at halftime, but outscored the Dutchmen 45-29 in the final 20 minutes of the game to seal the victory. St. Lawrence opened the second half with a 23-13 run to jump out to a 67-54 lead midway through the second half. With the momentum on the Saints' side, the Dutchmen were not able to relinquish the lead. The largest lead for the Saints was 15, a 75-60 advantage with 6:15 remaining in the game.

Led by senior guard Matt Blue and sophomore forward Bela Vonnak, who both posted 20 points, the Saints shot 45 percent from the field. Vonnak added 11 rebounds for the double-double while Blue hit 6-of-8 from behind the three point line. Sophomore forward Rich Williams scored 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Sophomore guard Tom Wopperer poured in 13 points and freshman guard Josh Sharlow added 10 points to round out the Saints scoring in double figures.

The Dutchmen were led by Brendan Rose and Steve Madej who scored 17 and 16 points respectively. The Saints outrebounded the Dutchmen 43-35.

The Saints will conclude their regular-season conference schedule when they take on Skidmore College tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m.

SAINTS FALL TO WILLIAM SMITH, 60-47

Feb. 10: Despite 19 points from sophomore forward Katie Palmer, the St. Lawrence women's basketball team (20-2, 11-1) suffered their first Liberty League loss of the season, falling 60-47 to William Smith College Saturday afternoon in Burkman Gym. The Saints went five minutes without scoring late in the game and posted just 10 points in the last 10 minutes of the contest. The Herons held the Saints, usually a strong three-point shooting team, to just 25 percent from behind the arc,

The Saints trailed 26-25 at the intermission and played from behind throughout the second half. The Saints only burst of momentum came on a four-point swing with 15 minutes left in the half. Trailing 36-28, St. Lawrence called a time-out. Out of the huddle, Palmer scored four unanswered points to cut the William Smith lead to 36-32. That was as close as St. Lawrence would get as their scoring drought allowed William Smith to gain a significant cushion.

Behind forward Erin Cunningham's 19 points and seven rebounds, Kristen Suatoni and Paula Foote scored 10 points apiece for William Smith. The Herons move to 11-9 overall and 5-5 in the Liberty League.

St. Lawrence out-rebounded William Smith 37-35, but shot only 32 percent (19-of-59) on the afternoon, while William Smith was 47 percent (24-of-51) from the field. St. Lawrence also turned the ball over 20 times.

The Saints will finish their season on the road at Union and Skidmore Feb. 16 and 17 before returning home to host the Liberty League Tournament.

SAINTS EARN No. 1 SEED IN LIBERTY LEAGUE TOURNAMENT

Feb. 9: It was a nail-biter from start to finish, but at the end of the game, one thing was obvious: The Saints defeated Hamilton 68-63 Friday night in Canton, N.Y. by playing tenacious defense. Just when it looked like Hamilton had enough momentum to catapult itself over St. Lawrence, the Saints rallied by forcing Hamilton into turnovers and converting them into offensive production.

Trailing 56-51 with three and a half minutes left in the game, the Saints responded with four straight steals to deny Hamilton any offensive production. With just under three minutes left in the game, junior guard Kimberly Sikule stole the ball, drove it up the court and passed to senior guard Christie Herbst, who nailed a three-point shot, putting the Saints up 58-56. Sikule came up with another steal on Hamilton's next possession, preventing Hamilton from recapturing the lead. With just under two minutes remaining, junior guard Jamie Wolff robbed Hamilton forward Cate Schafer. That steal led to a three point play by sophomore forward Katie Palmer on the other end of the court, extending the Saints lead to 61-56.

Hamilton responded however, when guard Molly Kane nailed a three-pointer to tighten the Saints lead to 61-59. After St. Lawrence failed to score on their next offensive possession, Sikule fouled Hamilton guard Pumla Sathula, putting her at the line with a chance to tie the game. Sathula made one out of two to bring Hamilton to within one point. Forced to foul, Hamilton sent Brittany Gaetano to the line. The senior guard also hit one out of two to give the Saints a 62-60 lead. With one final chance to win the game, Kane put up a guarded jumper that fell short. With nine seconds left, Hamilton fouled Andrea Muszynksi twice as the senior forward hit all four free throws in the game's final minutes to seal the victory for the Saints.

The Saints were led by Muszynski who posted 18 points and seven rebounds. Palmer finished with 15 points and seven boards while Wolff had 11 points and four steals.

The win, the Saints 20th consecutive victory, moves St. Lawrence to 21-1 and 11-0 in the Liberty League. The victory also gives the Saints a No. 1 seed in the Liberty League Tournament, a share of the regular season title and ensures that they will host the league tournament on Feb. 23 and 24. St. Lawrence will take on William Smith tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. at Burkman Gym. A win would make the Saints regular-season champions of the Liberty League.

SAINTS LOOK TO CLINCH LEAGUE TITLR IN FINAL HOMESTAND

FeB. 7: St. Lawrence (20-1, 10-0) looks to not only extend its 19 -game winning streak, but also clinch the league title this weekend as it plays host to Hamilton and William Smith Colleges. A win over Hamilton would give the Saints the No. 1 seed in the Liberty League tournament and guarantee the Saints will host the tournament while a weekend sweep would make the Saints regular-season conference champions. The Saints broke into the national polls this week as the WBCA/ESPN poll ranked them No. 25. St. Lawrence was also ranked second in the East region in the first of three weekly NCAA rankings which will determine NCAA bids and seeding. Rochester (18-2) earned the No. 1 ranking while Cortland State (18-1), New York University (18-2), Medaille (17-4) and Brockport St. (15-5) respectively round out the top six in the East region.

Hamilton (14-5, 6-3) brings a five-game winning streak into Friday night's contest. With three of those victories against Liberty League foes, Hamilton is tied for second place in the conference with Rensselaer. Hamilton defeated Albany College of Pharmacy 59-31 on Feb. 6 after sweeping Skidmore and Union Colleges Feb. 2 and 3.

Sydney Fasulo, the league's top scorer, leads the charge for Hamilton with 15.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. With a 52 percent average from the field, the sophomore center also leads the league in field goal percentage. Playing alongside Fasulo, junior forward Pumla Sathula averages 12.5 and 8.8 rebounds per game, making her second in the league in rebounding. Sathula's versatility allows her to move back-and-forth from the wing to the post, posing problems for opposing defenses. In the backcourt for Hamilton, guards Jess Burrows, Molly Kane and Sarah Schrader combine for almost 30 points per game.

On Saturday, the Saints will face rival William Smith College. The Saints handed the Herons a 65-56 loss on Jan. 12 in Geneva, N.Y. and are looking for the season sweep. Saturday also marks the final regular season home game for seniors Brittany Gaetano, Christie Herbst, Andrea Muszynksi and Jessica Smith, all four-year players at St. Lawrence who have made strong contributions to the program. The group looks to lead the Saints back to post-season play in 2007.

William Smith is led by Stephanie Czajkowski, who ranks third in the league in scoring with 14 points per game. William Smith shoots 40 percent from the field and has a balanced scoring attack as its top four scorers average between 14 and nine points per game. Behind Czajkowski, freshman forward Erin Cunningham is next in scoring with 11.2 points per outing and junior guard Marisa Vespa averages 11.1 per contest.

The Saints will wrap-up the regular season when they travel to Union and Skidmore Feb. 16 and 17.

PALMER RECEIVES LIBERTY LEAGUE HONORS

Feb. 5: The Liberty League Named sophomore forward Katie Palmer Liberty League Forward of the Week for her outstanding performance in the Saints weekend sweep of Rensselaer and Vassar College. Palmer continues to be the give the Saints a pulse in important games and provide a spark down the stretch. In the Saints thrilling 74-73 win over RPI on Friday, Palmer scored a game-high 30 points and pulled down seven rebounds. On Saturday, as the Saints set a school record for consecutive wins, Palmer added 15 points to her weekend tally in just 25 minutes. For the week, she averaged 22.5 points per game on .607 shooting percentage from the field.

Palmer and the Saints will return home to Burkman Gymnasium on Friday to take on Hamilton College at 6 p.m.

SAINTS WIN 19th STRAIGHT;

SET SCHOOL RECORD FOR CONSECUTIVE WINS

Feb. 3: The clock buzzed, they shook hands with the losing team just like they have done 20 times this season, and as the St. Lawrence women's basketball team headed to the locker room, it seemed like just another tally in the W column. From the outside looking in, one would not have known that the Saints' 74-54 win over Vassar college was their nineteenth consecutive win, a St. Lawrence record.

Sure, there were high-five's and smiles in the locker room, but setting the record was not the Saints goal; finishing on top of the Liberty League and winning the conference tournament is their goal.

"Winning 19 straight is a nice feeling, but our ultimate goal is to win the league," St. Lawrence head coach Jennifer Kroll said. "I think right now it is like the monkey is off our back. As much as we are going week by week, the streak was in the back of all of our minds. Now it is not about the streak anymore, it is about winning the league."

The Saints( 20-1, 10-0) look to be in good position to accomplish that goal as they now own a three-game lead over all league opponents. With the loss, Vassar moves to 6-13 and 1-8.

Vassar kept St. Lawrence at arms length throughout the first half as the Saints only led 31-27 at the half. A second half spurt of of lights-out three point shooting and and strong interior play catapulted the Saints to an 18 point cushion just nine minutes into the second half. St. Lawrence would only add to that lead in the final 10 minutes of the game taking a 67-44 advantage with five minutes left in the game.

With four and a half minutes left in the game, the Saints cleared the bench, allowing each player to share a piece of the monumental victory.

Senior forward Andrea Muszynksi posted a game-high 18 points and pulled down seven rebounds and sophomore forward Katie Palmer added 15 points and four rebounds. Senior guard Brittany Gaetano poured in 14 points on a five-of-eight shooting performance while junior guard Jamie Wolff added 12 points to complete the Saints in double figures.

The Saints will return home next weekend for their home series with Hamilton and William Smith Colleges.

SAINTS EDGE OUT RPI TO TIE ALL-TIME WINNING STREAK

Feb. 2: With 5.2 seconds left on the clock, the Saints were in jeopardy of falling short of tieing St. Lawrence's record for consecutive wins and of losing their first Liberty League contest of the season. Leading 74-73 on Rensselaer's home court, the Saints came up with two key defensive stops in the game's final seconds to seize the one-point victory.

With just five ticks left in the game, RPI inbounded the ball on their sideline with a chance to sink the game-winning shot. RPI guard Whitney Coleman took the inbound pass, looking to make a move. What she did not see was Saints guard Kimberly Sikule snatch the ball out of her hands as the final seconds wound off the clock.

St. Lawrence 74, RPI 73.

The Saints (19-1, 9-0) have now won 18 straight games, tieing the school record for consecutive wins. RPI falls to 12-3 and 5-3.

St. Lawrence head coach Jennifer Kroll said the Saints anticipated what play the Red Hawks were going to run because of the teams' previous meeting in Canton, NY which came down to the final possession.

"We knew that it was going to her (Coleman) or Eagles, and we knew that they were going to run that play because that is what they ran at our place," Kroll said. "So we told our girls not to foul, to show their hands, but to stop the penetration and Kim was just able to get in there and steal it away."

That was the Saints second key defensive stop. The first came after junior guard Jamie Wolff missed a three-point shot with just under twenty seconds left in the game. RPI called a time-out with 15.2 seconds remaining in the game. After inbouding the ball to Destany Eagels, who led the Red Hawks with 20 points, Eagles missed a jump shot that would have put RPI in the lead. Off Eagles' miss however, the Red Hawks got the ball back, giving them the final opportunity with 5.2 second remaining.

The Saints led 40-39 at the half after an evenly matched first period. Led throughout the the game by sophomore guard Katie Palmer, who had a game-high 30 points, the Saints used a solid interior game and consistent outside shooting to stay alive. Junior guard Jamie Wolff had a strong first half pouring in all 12 of her points in the first 20 minutes.

Out of the locker room, the Saints and the Red-Hawks went toe-to-toe on every basket. Neither team established an advantage in momentum, although the Red Hawks gained a significant advantage on the boards, outrebounding the Saints 47-25.

"Every time we would hit a shot or go down and knock down a three, they had an answer," Kroll said. "You just don't win to many games when you get outrebounded by 25.

The difference for the Saints: Katie Palmer. After senior forward Andrea Muszynski fouled out of the game with about six minutes remaining, Palmer stepped up, playing solid defense and preventing penetration from Eagles and Coleman.

"Katie Palmer was everywhere for us tonight," Kroll said. "She really was the difference for us in the game."

The Saints will travel to Poughkeepsie, NY for a match-up with Vassar College tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. with a chance to set a record for consecutive wins in a season.

SAINTS LEAD WIRE-TO-WIRE TO DEFEAT GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Jan. 30 The St. Lawrence women's basketball team (18-1, 8-0) soundly defeated Clarkson University (6-13, 2-6), 63-35 Tuesday night at Burkman Gymnasium in Canton, N.Y. The Saints have now captured their seventeenth straight win, bringing them within one game of tying the school record, 18, set in 2002-03.

The Saints never trailed in the game and used a solid combination of stout defense and accurate shooting to dispatch the Golden Knights. Senior forward Andrea Muszynski scored a game-high 18 points in the victory on an eight-of-12 shooting performance. Junior guard Jamie Wolff had 13 points including three three-pointers. Amy Fortener came off the bench for the Saints to put in 10 points and Kim Sikule had a team-high six rebounds. Every Saints player saw at least four minutes of action and all but one player scored.

St. Lawrence shot 45 percent from the field for the game (27-of-59) while limiting Clarkson to just 30 percent (13-of-43). The Saints forced the Golden Knights into 32 turnovers, while making only 15 errors.

The Saints led 36-21 at halftime. St. Lawrence jumped out to a 18-5 lead with 13:51 left in the first half and continued to put the pressure on Clarkson throughout the remainder of the period. The Saints enjoyed a 17-6 run to start the half and open their lead to a 53-27 advantage. Muszynski led the charge for the Saints, dominating the interior and playing solid defense.

St. Lawrence will hit the road this weekend for their away series with RPI and Vassar College. They will return Feb. 9 and 10 for their final homestand of the year as William Smith and Hamilton Colleges will come to Canton, NY.

SAINTS COMPLETE WEEKEND SWEEP WITH WIN OVER UNION

Jan. 27: On their way to earning their sixteenth straight win, maintaining an undefeated record in the Liberty League and inching one game closer to the school record for consecutive wins, the St. Lawrence women's basketball team put on a shooting clinic in their 80-58 win over Union College Saturday afternoon in Burkman Gymnasium. The Saints (17-1, 7-0) shot 65 percent (12-of-23) from behind the arc in the second half and 44 percent (29-of-65) from the field on the game. Senior point guard Brittany Gaetano led the shooting charge for the Saints, knocking down seven-of-nine-shots from downtown. Scoring a game high 25 points, Gaetano hit nine-of-12 shots on the afternoon.

The win puts at least two games between the Saints and the closest competitors in the Liberty League race, as St. Lawrence now hold victories over RPI ( 12-6, 5-2) and Union (8-8, 4-2).

Union hung with the Saints early in the first half, trailing only 25-21 with five minutes left to go in the first period as the Dutchwomen rattled off eight straight points to tighten the Saints margin. The Saints however, ended the half on an 11-1 run, capped off by a lay-up at the buzzer by junior guard Kimberly Sikule. Sikule grabbed an offensive rebound and took it up strong for the basket that made the halftime score 36-22.

Out of the locker room, the Saints came out even stronger, widening their cushion to 54-40 with 11:15 left in the half. Thanks to the hot hand of Gaetano, who hit back-to-back threes with about 14 minutes left in the game, the Saints poured it on from the perimeter. Minutes later, the Saints rattled off three point shots on three straight possessions. Senior guard Christie Herbst ingnited the shooting frenzy, followed by another three from Gaetano and junior guard Jamie Wolff capped off the nine points swing with one of her three treys on the afternoon.

Behind Gaetano's shooting display, Wolff poured in 11 points and six assists for the Saints, including three three-pointers. In the post, the Saints continued to play strong as senior forward Andrea Muszynski posted 16 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore forward Katie Palmer collected a double-digit game with ten points and four assists.

Union put three players in double figures as Devon Ciliberto led the way for Union with 16 points and seven rebounds. Krystal Hammond scored 11 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds while Maria Tobin collected 10 points. Rachel Ormsby, who ranks third in the league in shooting percentage collected four fouls in the first half and was forced to sit out. She finished the game scoreless in just 23 minutes of action.

The Saints will take the court Tuesday night as Clarkson travels down Rt. 11 to complete the Saints five-game homestand at 6 p.m. in Burkman Gymnasium.

SAINTS TOP SKIDMORE TO

REMAIN UNDEFEATED IN LIBERTY LEAGUE

Jan. 26: The Saints won their fifteenth consecutive game Friday night defeating the Skidmore Thoroughbreds 61-47 in Burkman Gymnasium in Canton, NY. The Saints are now just four games away from tying the school record of 19 wins set in 2002-03. In a game where the Saints were never challenged, St. Lawrence grabbed an early 14-5 lead and continued to add to the cushion throughout the game.

Led by sophomore forward Katie Palmer, who posted a game high 17 points, the Saints dominated the Thoroughbreds in the paint. The Thoroughbreds could not stop Palmer inside as she collected her 17 points in just 21 minutes of play. St. Lawrence also outrebounded Skidmore 35-31. Junior guard Jamie Wolff combined with Palmer to give the Saints the inside and outside punch. Wolff scored 16 points in just 23 minutes while shooting six of nine from the field, including four of six from behind the three point arc.

In allowing just 47 points on the game and 18 in the first half, St. Lawrence's stingy defense held the Thoroughbreds to 17 of 49 from the field.

The Saints jumped out to an 10-2 lead just four minutes into the game and widened that margin to 27-7 after outscoring the Thoroughbreds 17-5 over the next 12 minutes. After taking a 39-18 lead into the half, the Saints continued to apply pressure to Skidmore. The 50-25 margin with 14:28 remaining in the game was the Saints largest cushion.

Every Saints player played at least six minutes with all but three scoring a basket. Senior forward Krystal Coke led the Thoroughbreds with 11 points while sophomore guard Laurel Brown posted 10 points. The win moves the Saints to 16-1 overall and 6-0 in the Liberty League while Skidmore falls to 8-9 overall and 0-6 in the league.

The Saints will be back in action tomorrow afternoon as they take on the Union Dutchwomen at 2 p.m. in Burkman Gymnasium.

SAINTS' WINNING STREAK CONTINUES WITH WIN OVER RPI

Jan. 20: St. Lawrence pulled out a gutsy performance Saturday afternoon to top the Rensselaer Red Hawks 58-55 in Burkman Gymnasium in Canton, N.Y. The Saints were led by sophomore forward Katie Palmer, who was unstoppable in the paint collecting 12 points and 11 rebounds. It was St. Lawrence's solid defense in the final minutes of game however, that sealed the game for the Saints as they handed the Red Hawks their first Liberty League loss.

The Saints made came up with crucial turnovers to prevent the Red Hawks from rallying. Wtih the Saints leading just 54-53 with 3:45 left in the game, RPI guard Destany Eagels scored to put the Red Hawks up 55-54. Palmer tied the game at 55 with a free throw shot with :47 seconds left in the game, giving RPI the ball back with a chance to take the lead. Junior guard Kimberly Sikule however game up with a big defensive steal to put the ball back in the Saints hands. In desperate need of a basket, the Saints went to Palmer, who had been unstoppable all day. Palmer drove the baseline, attempting a reverse lay-up, but was fouled. Palmer went to the line to shoot two and after sinking them both, the Saints went up 57-55. Junior guard Jamie Wolff added another free throw to end the game.

The Saints held RPI's leading scorer Whitney Coleman and Destany Eagles to just 10 and 11 points respectively. Wolff led all scorers with 15 points while senior forward Andrea Muszynski had nine points and four rebounds.

The win moves the Saints to 15-1 on the season and 5-0 in the Liberty League. They will be back in action next Friday to play host to Skidmore at 6 p.m.

SAINTS TOP VASSAR IN LIBERTY LEAGUE HOME OPENER

Jan.19: St. Lawrence continued their winning streak on Friday night topping Vassar College 80-48 in Burkman Gymnasium in Canton, N.Y. The Saints dominated Vassar from the get-go, gaining an 11-2 advantage just three minutes into the contest. The Saints extended that lead to 45-24 at the half.

Out of the half, the Saints continued to put the pressure on, stretching their margin to 70-39 with nine and a half minutes left in the game. Every Saints player scored and played at least nine minutes.

The Saints played smothering defense forcing 33 Vassar turnovers. Their full-court press rattled the Brewers all evening. The Saints put three players in double figures. Junior guard Kimberly Sikule led the Saints with 16 points and five rebounds, sophomore Katie Palmer posted 11 points and five rebounds while senior gaurd Brittany Gaetano had ten points while shooting 50 percent from the field. Rachel Cerlen led all scorers with 18 points and six rebounds for the Brewers.

The Saints will be back in action Saturday afternoon when they take on Rensselaer at 2 p.m. in Burkman Gymnasium.

SAINTS MAKE IT TWELVE IN A ROW

Jan. 16: Potsdam, N.Y.-- It was a successful trip down Rt. 11 for St. Lawrence Tuesday night as the Saints won their twelfth game in a row, defeating Liberty League foe, the Clarkson Golden Nights 61-43. With the win, the Saints move to 13-1 on the season.

Sure, 12 in a row sounds great, but the way the Saints see it, Tuesday night’s win brings them to 3-0 on the season; the conference season that is. Ask head coach Jennifer Kroll or any of her players and they will tell you their new season started last Friday night with their first conference win over rival William Smith.

“The way we see it, we are starting from scratch in conference play,” Kroll said. “We played well enough in non-conference to gain some confidence but we are onto a new season now.”

So far for the Saints, that season could not be going any better. After a weekend sweep of William Smith and Hamilton, the Saints chalked up wins in two of their toughest road games. Tuesday night’s win over Clarkson marked another important conference victory for the Saints as well as an opportunity to fine tune their game before another weekend of league play against Rensselaer and Vassar.

The Saints were strong from the start holding the Golden Knights scoreless in the first five and a half minutes and to just two points in the first 11 minutes. In fact, Clarkson had just 12 points and shot just 15 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes of play as St. Lawrence took a 32-12 lead into the halftime locker room.

Out of the locker room, the Saints continued to put the heat on the Golden Knights, who found the basket with more frequency outscoring the Saints 31-29 in the second half. Clarkson however, never tightened the St. Lawrence’s margin to less than 15 points.

Kroll who was pleased with her team’s play, said it was not their best 20 minutes of basketball, but she will take the win.

“We were not great in the second half, but we were really good in the first,” Kroll said.

Senior guard Christie Herbst came off the bench to lead the Saints with 11 points while senior forward Andrea Muszynski, the current Liberty League forward of the week, followed with nine points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Kimberly Sikule and sophomore forward Katie Palmer both had eight points as all Saints players played at least seven minutes.

The Saints be back in action on Friday when they take on Rensselar at 6 p.m. at Burkman Gymnasium.

MUSZYNSKI RECEIVES LIBERTY LEAGUE HONORS

Jan 15: Senior forward Andrea Muszysnki was named Liberty League Co-Guard of the Week for her outstanding performance in the Saints weekend sweep of William Smith and Hamilton Colleges. Muszysnki led the Liberty League in scoring last week, recording 21 points in each of the Saints wins at William Smith and Hamilton. She also led the league in blocks per game with 3.0, including a five-block performace at William Smith.

SAINTS COMPLETE WEEKEND SWEEP

WITH WIN OVER HAMILTON

Jan. 13: St. Lawrence opened Liberty League play with back to back wins over league foes William Smith and Hamilton College Jan 12 and 13. After defeating William Smith 65-56 on Friday night, the Saints edged out Hamilton Saturday afternoon. Senior forward Andrea Muszynski led the Saints in both games with two 21 point performances.

Saturday's win over Hamilton moved the Saints to 12-1 on the season and 2-0 in Liberty League play.

The Saints jumped out to an early first half lead, taking a 24-12 advantage with seven and a half minutes left in the first half. The Saints continued the first half pressure, outscoring Hamilton 10-5 in the remaining minutes of the first half, taking a 34-17 lead into the locker room.

Out of the half, the Saints did not let up. After a jump shot by senior guard Brittany Gaetano opened up the half for the Saints, Muszynski added another basket, while sophomore forward Katie Palmer sank a jump shot. The Saints were up 44-32 with just under 14 minutes left in the game.

The Saints however, scored just four points in a ten minute span, allowing Hamilton to string together a 17-4 run. Trailing 49-46 with just under five minutes left in the game, Hamilton guard Molly Kane sank a three point shot that gave Hamilton a 49-48 lead, their first of the half. St. Lawrence quickly regained the advantage on a pair of free throw shots by Muszynski and held on for the final two minutes of the game as Palmer hit a lay-up and Muszynski cashed in on two free throws in the game's final minutes.

The Saints will be back in action on Tuesday as they travel to Potsdam, N.Y. to take on league foe Clarkson.

MUSZYNSKI PROPELS SAINTS OVER RIVAL WILLIAM SMITH

IN LIBERTY LEAGUE OPENER

Jan.12: St. Lawrence opened Liberty League play with a 65-56 win over their archrival, the William Smith Herons, Friday night at Bristol Gym in Geneva, N.Y. The Saints, who have ended their last three seasons on losses to the Herons, put together a dominant defensive effort to force William Smith to 28 turnovers for the game.

Led by senior forward Andrea Muszynski, who has been hindered by injuries all season, the Saints were hitting on all cylinders Friday night. Muszynski posted a game high 21 points while her counterpart, sophomore forward Katie Palmer was second in scoring for the Saints with 14. St. Lawrence not only played tenacious defense, but also were aggressive taking the ball to the basket, getting to the free throw 35 times.

The Herons kept it close in the first half, trailing just 24-22 with two and a half minutes left in the first period. St. Lawrence however, rattled off seven unanswered to close out the half, including a three point play by Muszynski, who hit a jump shot at the halftime buzzer, was fouled and converted the ensuing free throw to give St. Lawrence a 31-22 halftime advantage.

The Saints would not surrender the lead for the rest of the game. Although St. Lawrence went up by as many as 11 points, William Smith continually crawled back into the game. Leading 47-36 with nine minutes left in the game, the Saints allowed the Herons to cut into their lead to pull it to 49-43 with six and a half minutes remaining.

The Saints outlasted the Herons in the game's final minutes however, as Muszynski and guard Kimberly Sikule capitalized at the free throw line.

St. Lawrence assistant coach KJ Krasco, said the Saints solid defense propelled them over the team that has proven to be the Saints nemesis.

"Our defense was out of control, just all over the place," Krasco said. "They were so aggressive. They came out with their game faces on and were not going to let this one get away."

The Saints held William Smith's point guard Marisa Vespa to just 10 points at Lauren Sischo picked up the defensive assignment after senior guard Brittany Gaetano was sidelined in the first half with foul trouble.

"Sischo did a great job of containing Vespa," Krasco said. "She had a strong defensive game."

The Saints will be back in action tomorrow night as they look for the weekend sweep when they take on Hamilton College.

SAINTS DEFEAT FREDONIA 57-49

Jan.6: The Saints opened their 2007 campaign with a 57-49 victory over Fredonia State Saturday afternoon. Jamie Wolff led the Saints with 18 points and five rebounds while junior guard Kimberly Sikule contined to play inspired basketball scoring 12 points and five rebounds.

Fredonia kept the game close throughout most of the first half trailing only 18-16 with six and a half minutes left in the first half. St. Lawrence however, went on an 11-5 run to close out the half, taking a 29-21 lead into the locker room.

The Saints continued their scoring run early in the second half going up 39-24 five minutes into the half. After four straight baskets by the Saints- Wolff hit a jump shot, Sikule nailed a three pointer followed by a jumper and a three point shot by Wolff- the Saints grabbed a quick 15 point lead.

Fredonia crawled back into the game however, pulling within a 43-37 margin with seven and a half minutes left in the game. Fredonia however, could not muster enough momentum to catch the Saints, who moved to 10-1 on the season.

Junior guard Katie Palmer scored nine points and led the Saints with 13 rebounds while seniors Brittany Gaetano and Christie Herbst posted five points each for the Saints.

The Saints will open conference play next weekend on the road at William Smith.

SIKULE NAMED ECAC CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK; LIBERTY LEAGUE GUARD OF THE WEEK

Jan. 3: Junior guard Kimberly Sikule was named ECAC Upstate Co-Player of the week and Liberty League Guard of the Week for her outstanding performances in the Saints weekend sweep at the Surf City Classic in Costa Mesa California.

Sikule led the Saints all weekend. In Friday afternoon's win over Delaware Valley, Sikule posted a season high 19 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 4-4 from three point range. She provided the Saints with solid minutes at the four position in the first half when the Saints post players had to sit with foul trouble. In Saturday's 88-53 win over Babson College, Sikule had another great performance scoring 15 points in just 28 minutes. Sikule was also named to the All-Tournament team.

SAINTS DEFEAT BABSON COLLEGE 83-55

Dec. 30: Junior guard Kimberly Sikule continued her aggressive play for the Saints, leading St. Lawrence with 15 points in their 83-55 victory over Babson College on Saturday afternoon in the Surf City Classic in Costa Mesa California.

Sikule had an 18 point 11 rebound performance on Friday afternoon and continued her strong play on Saturday. Despite getting out-rebounded 37-22, the Saints shot 55 percent from the field on the game. More importantly however, St. Lawrence shared the ball throughout the game, posting a season-high 26 assists. Sikule and sophomore forward Katie Palmer lead the Saints, each with five assists while senior forward Andrea Muszynski and Lauren Sischo posted four assists each.

The Saints jumped out to a quick 28-8 lead midway through the first half. Paced by Sikule, the Saints played solid defense forcing Babson into 29 turnovers, 17 in the first half. After taking a 47-23 halftime lead into the locker room, St. Lawrence did not allow Babson back in the game. The Saints extended their lead to 66-36 with just over nine minutes left in the game.

Every player for the Saints saw at least eight minutes of action and everyone scored. Senior guard Brittany Gaetano put up 14 points and three assists, Muszynski had 11 points and four rebounds while Palmer put up 10 points. Junior Amy Fortner led the Saints off the bench with seven points.

The Saints finished the tournament 2-0 and are move to 9-1 on the season. They will travel to face Fredonia on Jan. 6 before opening conference play at William Smith on Jan. 12.

SAINTS DEFEAT DELAWARE VALLEY 65-57

Dec. 29: St. Lawrence escaped the cold of upstate New York by traveling to Costa Mesta California to compete in the Surf City Classic Dec. 29 and 30. The Saints escaped their first round foe, Delaware Valley, thanks to a double- double by Kimberly Sikule. The junior guard scored 19 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and played key minutes for the Saints at the four position when starting forwards Katie Palmer and Andrea Muszynski got into foul trouble early in the first half.

When Muszynski and Palmer, each with three fouls, had to sit for the final eight minutes of the first half, Sikule moved to the post and dominated inside. She put up 10 points and seven rebounds in the first half. The Saints also got a solid performance off the bench from sophomore Jenna Krzemien who scored eight points.

Head coach Jennifer Kroll said the Sikule's performance in the post and Krzemien's aggressive defensive performance kept the Saints in the game at the end of the first half.

"We knew that we would have to move Sikule to the four position, we just didn't know that we would have to do it with so much time left in the half, " Kroll said. "But she played great for us and with Krzemien off the bench coming in and playing solid minutes for us and being really good on defense, we were able to end the half on a strong note."

The Saints played stellar team defense in the first half, using a full court press to eliminate what had been a dangerous transition game from Delaware Valley. The Saints did not allow any fast break points by the Aggies in the first half.

"We put them under pressure that they probably hadn't seen before," Kroll said. "They were not able to get any easy baskets in transition, which has been their strength."

The Saints held the Aggies to 20 percent from the field in the first half and took a 28-17 lead into the halftime locker room.

The Aggies however, opened the second half on a roll, rattling off a 15-5 run in the first six and a half minutes. They closed the Saints lead to 33-32 with 13:32 remaining in the game.

Kroll said the Saints did not open the half aggressively and were fatigued from using the full court press.

"They made some adjustments and our defense got tired," Kroll said. "Mainly though we just weren't as aggressive."

The Saints went on a three-point frenzy to regain their lead hitting five three-point shots in less than six minutes. Sikule nailed a trey with 11:48 remaining and just a minute later, junior guard Jamie Wolff swished one from downtown. Senior guard Brittany Gaetano hit a three pointer on the Saints next possession which was followed by back to back three pointers from Wolff to put the Saints up 52-46 with 5:29 remaining.

Solid defense and perfect free throw shooting down the stretch sealed the victory for the Saints as they moved to 8-1 on the season.

The Saints will take on Babson College tomorrow at 10 a.m. PST.

PALMER NAMED LIBERTY LEAGUE FORWARD OF THE WEEK

Dec. 12: Sophomore forward Katie Palmer was named Liberty League co-forward of the week for her performance in the Saints victory over Potsdam State on Dec. 5 and their weekend sweep of Ithaca College and Alfred University. Palmer was the Saints leading scorer in two of St. Lawrence's three games. Her dominating performance in the Saints 73-48 win over Potsdam State on Tuesday night led her to 20 first half points and six rebounds. In the Saints 51-47 win over Ithaca College on Friday, Dec. 8, Palmer led the Saints with 15 points and nine rebounds while in Saturday's 92-50 win over Alfred University, Palmer collected 14 points in limited playing time. For the week she averaged 16.3 points and 6.0 rebounds a game.

SAINTS POST CONVINCING WIN OVER ALFRED

Dec.9: St. Lawrence completed their first semester of play in dominating fashion, defeating Alfred University 92-50 Saturday afternoon in Burkman Gymnasium. The win moves the Saints to 6-1 on the season and an undefeated 5-0 at home.

The Saints lead was never in question as they jumped out to a 26-5 advantage in the first eight minutes of the game. St. Lawrence led 58-22 at halftime. Sophomore forward Katie Palmer continued to play inspired basketball, leading the Saints with 12 first half points. The Saints defense forced the Saxons into 22 first half turnovers.

In the second half, the Saints continued their solid performance despite their large lead. St. Lawrence finished with a 61 field goal shooting percentage and shot 42 percent from behind the arc. Senior forward Andrea Muszynski led the Saints with 16 points while Palmer collected 14 points. Junior guard Jamie Wolff had 12 points. Every Saints player collected at least 11 minutes of play and all but one player scored.

The Saints will be off for Christmas break but will return to action when they travel to California for the Surf City Classic Dec. 29 and 30.

SAINTS DEFEAT ITHACA 51-47

Dec. 8: When it was crunch time, St. Lawrence found a way to win. The Saints did not play their best basketball on Friday night in their 51-47 victory over Ithaca College, however in the game's final minutes, with Ithaca threatening, the Saints made plays and executed defensively.

"It is good to play poorely and win," head coach Jennifer Kroll. "It is good for us to struggle and pull out a win. We didn't play well, but we played hard and it is good for us to be tested before conference play."

Hanging on to a 47-43 lead with just over a minute to go in the game, senior guard Brittany Gaetano sunk a key three point shot to give the Saints a 50-43 lead. Ithaca responded on their next possession when Erika Steele scored on a layup tightening the Saints margin to 50-45. However, with less than a minute left in the game, Ithaca was forced to foul, sending sophomore forward Katie Palmer to the free throw line. Palmer hit one of two free throw shots to give the Saints a two possession lead and seal the game.

Palmer was the Saints best player on the court Friday night, Kroll said. The head coach was pleased with the way her five foot 11 inch forward attacked the basket, boxed out and threatened inside on every possession.

"She is just all over the place," Kroll said of Palmer. "She plays hard on every possession."

The game was tight from the beginning as St. Lawrence led by no more than six points in the first half. The Saints took a 24-19 lead into the half and Ithaca tightened that margin to 28-26 early in the second period.

The Saints pulled ahead 35-26 after scoring nine unanswered points, including two jumpers by guard Kimberly Sikule. Solid three points shooting by the Bombers put them back in the game as they tied it at 37 when Brynn Fessette hit from behind the arc with just under 11 mintutes to play.

St. Lawrence responded as Wolff came up with two crucial baskets; a three point shot with seven and a half minutes to play and a pull-up jump shot with just three seconds left on the shot clock. That basket put the Saints up 45-49. After Gaetano's three pointer put the Saints up 50-43, St. Lawrence got to the free throw line to seal the game. The Saints move to 6-1 on the season and will take on Alfred University tomorrow at 1 p.m.

SAINTS DEFEAT POTSDAM STATE 73-48

Dec. 5: St. Lawrence used a dominant first half of play to defeat Potsdam State 73-48 Tuesday night at Jerry Welsh Gymnasium in Potsdam, N.Y.

Behind a 20 point first half performance by junior forward Katie Palmer and 14 points from guard Jamie Wolff in the first 20 minutes of play, the Saints took an insurmountable 50-27 lead at the half. St. Lawrence went 20-30 in the first half, a 66.7 field goal percentage. Potsdam had no answer on the defensive end for Palmer, who added six rebounds to her first half slate.

Head coach Jennifer Kroll said Palmer single-handedly took over the game.

"She was phenomenal in the first half," Kroll said. "(Wolff) did a great job of getting her the ball and they were just unstoppable."

The Saints, whose lead never got less than 25 in the second half, shot just 23 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes, but all 12 players on the Saints roster played at least eight minutes.

Palmer, who did not score in the second half, still finished as the Saints leading scorer and Wolff added a second half three pointer to tally 17 points for the game. Seniors Andrea Muszynski and Brittany Gaetano added eight points a piece.

Although the scoreboard did not test the Saints, Kroll said it was good for her team to have practice playing out of their own environment.

"It was good for us to go into a different gym and use a different ball with unfamiliar lighting and just get a feel for the road," Kroll said.

The Saints will be back in action this weekend as they take on Ithace College on Friday and Alfred on Saturday.

SAINTS TOP ST. JOHN FISHER 77-58

Dec.2: St. Lawrence moved to 4-1 on the season and remained undefeated at home after topping St. John Fisher 77-58 Saturday afternoon.

The Saints got off to a sluggish start but sparked by Kimberly Sikule, who had 14 first half points, the Saints rallied to take a 28-22 lead with 7:38 left in the half. Guard Jamie Wolff had eight first half points and Andrea Muszynski scored nine in the first 20 minutes. After the Saints rallied to take their six point lead, Wolff took the ball to the hoop, beating her defender and putting the Saints up 30-22. On the next possession, Muszynski stole the ball, drove it the length of the floor and added another two points for the Saints. St. Lawrence added 10 more points in the final four minutes of the half to take a 42-26 haltime lead.

Out of the locker room, St. John Fisher went on an 11-2 run to make things interesting in the second half as they pulled within a 44-37 margin.

Head coach Jennifer Kroll called a timeout to get onto her players for their slow second half start.

"For us the halftime wasn't necessarily a good thing," Kroll said. "It was a real momentum buster for us because we had played so well going into the half. So I had to call a timeout and get on the girls a little bit and tell them to refocus."

The Saints however, played solid team defense forcing 15 second half turnovers, 30 for the game. St. Lawrence outscored St. John Fisher 35-29 in the final 20 minutes to seize the victory.

Kroll said turnovers were an essential part of the the Saints victory.

"I thought our defense was great," Kroll said. "I told the girls after the game that rebounds and turnovers are a result of great defense and I thought we really did a nice job of that today."

Sikule led the Saints with 16 points, Muszynski had 15, Katie Palmer had 13, Brittany Gaetano tallied 12 points while Wolff was the fifth Saints to finish in double digit scoring.

The Saints will travel to Potsdam on Tuesday to take on Potsdam State.

SAINTS DEFEAT PLATTSBURGH 76-40

Nov. 28: St. Lawrence moved to 3-1 on the season with a 76-40 win over Plattsburgh Tuesday night at Burkman Gymnasium. The Saints got out to an ealry lead moving ahead 20-10 with just under 10 minutes in the first half. The Saints closed out the half with a 23-6 run that put them ahead 43-16 at intermission.

Plattsburgh however, responded early in the second half, scoring five straight out of the locker room. That is when the Saints defense took over. St. Lawrence went to a full-court press, forcing Plattsburgh into 29 turnovers and outrebounding them 40-33.

The Saints also continued the offensive pressure outscoring Plattsburgh 33-24 in the second half.

With just over 12 minutes left in the game, senior guard Brittany Gaetano threaded a perfect pass in transition to Jenna Krezmien to put St. Lawrence up 51-25. On the next possession, Jamie Wolff hit a 15 foot jump shot with just three second remaining on the shot clock. After trading points with Plattsburgh for three minutes, the Saints added a 12-1 run to close out the game at 76-40. Senior Christie Herbst continued her lights-out shooting, hitting four three pointers to lead the Saints with 15 points, inlcuding a four of six shooting performance from the field.

Andrea Muszynski collected 1 points and four rebounds while Katie Palmer scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds.

The Saints will continue their homestand on Saturday when they take on St. John Fisher at 2 p.m.

SAINTS TOP HARTWICK IN HOME OPENER

Nov. 26: St. Lawrence rolled to a 66-41 victory over Hartwick in their home opener on Sunday night in Burkman Gymnasium moving to 2-1 on the season. The Saints had a solid defensive effort, holding Hartwick to just 41 points, 27 percent from the field and forcing 32 turnovers.

The Saints put the defensive pressure on early, using a full-court press to get Hartwick out of rhythm. Behind that stingy defense, the Saints jumped out to an 11-4 lead.

Head coach Jennifer Kroll said the Saints wanted to put pressure on early to try to create turnovers.

"We knew they had turned the ball over a lot in their first game and we thought if we could pressure them, without fouling, they would get flustered," Kroll said. "I was extremely pleased with our defensive effort."

Hartwick's defense was not as sound as they struggled to defend the Saints forwards, senior Andrea Muszynski and Katie Palmer in the first half as the two combined for 15 first half points and edged out Hartwick on the glass 15 to 10. The Saints took 32-16 advantage into the locker room.

The Saints lead was never threatened in the second half, as they took stretched their margin to a 39-19 advantage, early in the second half. However, St. Lawrence continued to play disciplined basketball despite the lopsided margin. They forced 15 second half turnovers and continued to pound Hartwick in the paint to reach the final score, 66-41.

"I was glad that they didn't play down when we got ahead," Kroll said. "We will have to have that kind of tenacity when we get into league play."

The Saints got 14 points and five rebouds from Palmer while Muszynksi had 13 points and five boards. Christie Herbst led the Saints off the bench, scoring 12 points, all from behind the arc.

Lindsay Wilson paced the way for Hartwcik scoring 24 of their 41 points, but led the game in turnovers with nine. Jenny Knight posted nine points and a game-high eight rebounds.

The Saints have a busy week, as they will host Plattsburgh on Tuesday and St. John Fisher on Saturday.

SAINTS FALL TO NO. 15 BRANDEIS

Nov. 19: St. Lawrence fell to No.15 Brandeis in the championship game of the Brandeis Tip-Off Tournament. The Saints showed tremendous heart, rallying back from a 39-28 halftime deficit, but Brandeis' smothering second half defense and solid field goal shooting held-off the Saints, as the Judges rolled to a 68-47 victory.

The loss moves the Saints to 1-1 on the season. The game was tied at 14-14 early when the Judges broke loose on a 21-6 run to close out the half. Trailing 39-28 at the break, the Saints got some momentum early in the second half.

Junior guard Jamie Wolff hit a three-pointer to open up the half, pulling the Saints within eight points, but the Judges responded with seven straight points from senior forward Caitlin Malcolm, who led all scorers with 24 points and eight rebounds. That run pushed Brandeis' lead to 46-33, a deficit the Saints could not overcome.

Wolff led the Saints for the second straight night with 16 points, while senior forward Andrea Muszynski talllied eight points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Brittany Gaetano had seven points from the point guard position.

The Saints struggled to defend Malcolm throughout the game, as she went seven-of-10 from the floor, including a pair of threes and eight-of-nine from the free throw line. She had a game high eight rebounds.

Although disappointed with the loss, the Saints will be back at practice after Thanksgiving break to refocus on their upcoming games.

"Its just a bump in the road; there is a lot of seaosn left to play." Saints assistant coach KJ Krasco said. "The game exposed a lot of things that we need to work on and we have the opportunity to get better."

The Saints will take on Hartwick Nov. 26 at 4 p.m. in Burkman Gymnasium.

SAINTS DEFEAT TRINITY IN SEASON OPENER

Nov.18: The St. Lawrence University women's basketball team opened their 2006-07 season with a convincing 68-54 win over Trinity College at the Brandeis Tip-Off Tournament.

The Saints opened the game sluggish, trailing 29-28 at halftime. However, behind a stingy second half defensive effort and a 12-13 performance from the free throw line, the Saints outlasted the Bantams. St. Lawrence held Trinity to just 25 second half points, outscoring the Bantams 39-25 in the second half.

Led by junior guard Jamie Wolff, who had 16 points and four steals, the Saints put five players in double figures. Sophomore guard Katie Palmer added 13 points, senior forward Andrew Muszynski posted 10 points and seven rebounds, junior guard Kimberly Sikule collected 10 points and six rebounds while senior guard Christie Herbst added 11 points off the bench.

The Saints outrebounded the Bantams 34-22, including 15-4 on the offensive glass and forced 25 turnovers on their way to their season-opening victory.

The Saints will face No. 16 ranked Brandeis tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m.

Saints Foursome Eager for Senior Season

Oct. 16: Together as usual, the foursome trickles into the cafeteria at Newell Fieldhouse. They are hard to miss when they are all together; even if you don’t see them, you will certainly hear them. Especially Andrea Muszynski, the six foot senior from Buffalo, NY. Loud as she is tall, Muszynski’s voice is as recognizable as her dominant post moves.

“You guys, go get us a table,” Muszynski turns around and motions to her posse.

Of course not far behind “Dre” are classmates and best friends Jessica Smith, Christie Herbst and Brittany Gaetano. It would be a rare occasion to see one of the senior basketball players without at least two of the others.

On this day, right before the official start of 2006 season, the girls are just trying to grab a bite to eat before class. Well, a little more than a bite. The meal deal, which includes a sandwich, soup, cookie, chips and a drink, is mandatory for the group.

Lunch in hand, the girls plop down at the table Gaetano and Herbst have been reserving. Ten minutes later, lunch has been devoured.

“We eat kind of fast,” Gaetano said with a laugh.

Sure they might have been hungry that day, but not the kind of hunger they have deep down in the pit of their stomachs.

To see hungry, stare into the eyes of Gaetano and her roommate of three years, Herbst. Listen to the words of Muszynski, and hear the passion in Smith’s voice. As the four St. Lawrence seniors talk about the 2006-07 season, you can almost hear the collective growl that’s been rumbling in their stomachs since March.

St. Lawrence’s senior class is the first in 6 years not to have been part of an NCAA team. They have been to back-to-back Liberty League championship games, but that is a different story, one that leaves a bitter taste in the girls’ mouths when they talk about it.

The last two years for the Saints women’s basketball team go something like this: the Saints have a great conference season (they tied for first place in the Liberty League), but have to go on the road for the conference tournament. They advance to the finals, but fall short to William Smith in the championship game both years.

“It was just heartbreaking to go there last year and lose again like we did sophomore year,” Gaetano said. “So that is one thing that we are focusing on this year is that we would like to bring the Liberty League tournament home.”

Perhaps the foursome is so passionate about the upcoming season because it is their last at St. Lawrence.

“It’s a different mentality, knowing there is no tomorrow,” Herbst said. “This time we won’t be able to come back and say, ‘maybe we’ll get it next year.”

As best friends and teammates for four years, the girls are thick as thieves. Their camaraderie off the court has helped develop their chemistry on the court.

The friendships date back to freshman year. New to the college atmosphere, each player had her own struggles, but in the end, prevailed because they formed friendships amongst each other.

Muszynski and Herbst both wanted to go home. Before the season, both had already decided St. Lawrence was not the place for them.

Muszynski was so homesick she called her parents every day wanting to return to Buffalo, N.Y. But then something happened.

“I think the turning point for me was when basketball started and I got close to these girls and started to know them,” she said. “Once I started playing with them, I knew that I fit in and this was the team that I wanted to play with on the court and hang out with off of it.”

Herbst gave herself a month. Well, her mother made her stay a month after she all but had her bags packed days after arriving on campus. She was convinced she didn’t fit in. But soon, she started hanging out with Smith, Muszynski and Gaetano, and all of the sudden, she found her comfort zone.

Herbst immediately bonded with Gaetano because they lived in the same dorm. Now, they are in their third year as roommates. Herbst has spent more time at Gaetano’s house during her college career than she has her own. An Armonk, NY native, Herbst is six hours away from home, while Gaetano, a New Hartford, NY native is just a couple hours away. Herbst is a regular at the Gaetano’s during the holidays.

“We’ve just always stuck together when someone is struggling,” Muszynski said. “I know I can always talk to one of them if I need it,” she said. “Or on the court, someone is always there to urge you on, the one bit of motivation you need when you are struggling.”

That is why when the Saints run in practice; Muszynski will always run next to Gaetano.

“If I am getting tired, I hear her voice in my head like ‘Come on Dre, you got it,’” Muszynski said.

Gaetano understands Muszynski needs that extra push. She has been doing it for three years now, so it’s practically second nature.

The same understanding exists among Smith and Gaeta no. As point guards, they understand that Muszynski, who averaged 10.4 points per game last year, is one of the most dominant post players in the league. If the Saints want to be successful this season, they know they have to get her a touch on every possession.

They know that just as well as t

rcent (6-31). hey know that if you get stuck rooming with her on a road trip, you’re not going to get any sleep.

“Dre snores so bad, you can’t go to sleep when you share a room with her,” Gaetano chuckles as laughter erupts from the group.

Gaetano cannot help but tell the story from a road trip last season when she shared a room with Muszynski. In the middle of the night, Muszynski was sleeping like a baby while Gaetano was chucking everything from the remote control to her shoe at Muszynski, trying to get her to stop snoring.

“She just rolled over, didn’t even wake up,” Gaetano laughs.

Minutes later, Herbst’s cell phone rings.

“It was 2:00 a.m. and Brittany was like ‘I’m coming to sleep in your room,’” Herbst, who was rooming with Smith, laughed. “So we were all in this one room and Dre was upstairs all by herself.”

The four are innately aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses and have learned to work around them. Smith, a lightening fast guard known for going to the hole and Gaetano, who is known for her silky smooth jump shot, compliment each other well at the point. The two guards, who combined for 110 assists last season, spent the off-season looking to improve on their drawbacks.

“Smitty and I are like opposites,” Gaetano said. “So during the summer, I worked on going to the hole more and she worked on her jump shot.”

Then there is Herbst, a scrappy guard who can lighten tension with a smile or a joke.

Their chemistry is apparent on the court. The girls play so well together because they care about each other, head coach Jennifer Kroll said.

“Dre is the leader by example, Smitty is the emotional leader. Brittany is the best communicator on the team, but she is also a leader because the ball is in her hands. And this team will feed off Christie’s attitude and the energy and spark she provides.”

The four will lean on each other this season just like they did freshman year before their first practice when they sat nervously in Herbst’s dorm room awaiting the 12:00 a.m. start of midnight madness; just like they did on the bus ride home last year after the heartbreaking, season-ending loss.

The only difference about 2006-07 is that not only will they lean on each other, but the entire team will lean on them.