Russo Leads all Scorers in Loss to Saints

PAXTON, Mass – Tuesday evening the Emmanuel Saints travelled to Paxton for a conference matchup with the AMCATS. In the end the Saints left with an 85-52 victory.

For the AMCATS, senior guard Kristina Russo (South Windsor, Conn) led all scorers in the game with 15 points. She went six-for-six from the free throw line and hit three three-pointers for the 'Cats. Senior guard Kayla Odegaard (Milton, Mass) also scored in the double digits with 11 points. Odegaard was also tied for the team lead in rebounds, nine, with senior guard Maritza Gustave (Fall River, Mass). Graduate student Johanna Burke (Oxford, Mass) had a good game for Anna Maria, scoring seven points and pulling down seven boards.

For the Saints, their leading scorer and rebounder for the season, sophomore guard Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda (South Boston, Mass), led them tonight with 13 points and 11 rebounds to record the double-double. Also on a double-double in the game, off the bench, for Emmanuel was sophomore forward Caitlin Cipriano (Waterbury, Conn), scoring 12 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Senior guard Ryan Maynard (Bowie, Md) and junior guard Madison McLaughlin (Westerly, R.I.) also scored double-digit points adding 12 each for the Saints.

In the first quarter, Emmanuel went on a 9-0 run to begin things. Russo opened the scoring for the 'Cats, making back-to-back free throws. The Saints would quickly open their lead back out to nine with a three from McLaughlin. Though the AMCATS couldn't overcome the nine points deficit they kept pace with the Saints until the 2:00 mark of the first period. That's when Emmanuel opened the lead to 15, ending the first quarter up 28-13. Burke would score the first points of the second quarter, as Anna Maria tried to close the gap but, Emmanuel was too much for the home team as they extended out to a 23-point lead by the end of the half, 46-23.

To begin the second half, the Saints would cross the 50-point mark three minutes in. The AMCATS got a three pointer from Russo in that time but the buckets weren't falling for AMC. With just under five to play in the quarter, Odegaard hit two threes in back-to-back possessions. When the buzzer sounded to end the quarter, Emmanuel led 70-41.

In the fourth, the AMCATS defense kept the Saints offense to 15 points but we only able to gain back six of the 29 points they had trailed by at the end of the third. When the final whistle came, Emmanuel left Paxton victorious, 85-52.

Up next for the women will be a trip to Mount Ida on Thursday evening at 5pm to take on the Mustangs in GNAC play.

Click Here for the ful lbox score from tonight's game.