WBSK12-8-01

ESU-New Haven Women's Basketball

EAST STROUDSBURG - Forward Tiffany Barnes scored 15 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, both career highs, to lead East Stroudsburg University to a 59-54 victory over the University of New Haven in the championship women's game of the Panaia-Soloway 37th Rotary Pocono Classic Saturday.

Barnes, named the tournament's outstanding player, made 7 of 14 shots from the floor and 1 of 2 free throws. She grabbed 14 offensive boards and three defensive in her second double-double of the season.

The 6-0 junior from Middletown also combined on defense with centers Vanessa Kraft and Jess Wapinsky in holding New Haven's top scorer, Niketa Harris, who was averaging better than 21 points per game, to only ten points.

Kraft contributed 13 points along with six rebounds and four assists while Wapinsky had seven points. The team had one other double-figure scorer in Michele Pilenza with 11 points along with four assists.

It was the Warriors' first Rotary Pocono Classic title in three years. It also was the second trophy won by the team this season under new coach Juliene Simpson. ESU took runner-up honors at the season-opening Gannon Tournament.

With the score tied, 22-22, ESU hit five straight points on Heather Wolfe's driving layup and Pilenza's three-pointer to take the lead for keeps, 27-22, with 4:09 left in the first half. The halftime difference was six points, 33-27.

In the second half, the Warriors extended the margin to ten points at three different junctures, the last at 54-44. It was still an eight-point game at 56-48 after Barnes' rebound basket with 4:14 left.

New Haven rallied to close within two points at 56-54 as Harris scored a three-point play as she put back an offensive rebound and sank a free throw with 40 seconds remaining.

ESU had chances to wrap it up, but missed seven straight free throws over two minutes. Fortunately, the Chargers couldn't score and Harris missed a chance to tie the game inside with 20 seconds left. Kraft sank one of two foul shots with 18 seconds remaining and Pilenza added a pair with three seconds to go for the final five-point margin.

The Warriors, now 3-4, will have a 13-day break before playing host to California Dec. 21 and IUP Dec. 22 in a pair of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover games. New Haven is now 4-3.

East Stroudsburg 59

Ross 2-3 0-0 4, Cox 0-1 0-2 0, Wear 1-5 0-5 3, Wolfe 2-9 2-3 6, Pilenza 4-6 2-2 11, Garlach 0-0 0-0 0, Barnes 7-14 1-2 15, Wapinsky 3-4 1-1 7, Kraft 6-15 1-2 13. Totals: 25-57 7-17 59

New Haven 54

Verrett 5-12 2-2 16, Rajnauth 0-2 0-0 0, Ching-Hing 0-2 0-0 0, Vilella 2-8 0-0 6, Buefort 1-5 3-4 5, Saxton 5-10 0-2 10, Harrington 3-10 0-0 7, Harris 4-15 2-3 10. Totals: 20-64 7-11 54

Three-Point Goals: NH - Verrett 4, Vilella 2, Harris; ESU - Wear, Pilenza

Halftime: ESU, 33-27

Records: ESU 3-4, New Haven 4-3