Manchester, N.H. (January 12) -- Assumption got back in the win column on Saturday afternoon as the Hounds defeated Southern New Hampshire by a 71-51 final in Northeast-10 women's basketball action at the SNHU Fieldhouse. Assumption is receiving votes in this week's USA Today Sports National Top 25 Poll, the fourth straight week they have received votes.

The teams traded the lead back and forth seven times in the first 5:07 before the Hounds put together a 16-9 run to push the lead out to 26-18 with 5:50 left in the opening half. Assumption led by as many as 14 points in the final minute of the period before a three from SNHU's Deb Lavalley with 12 seconds left sent the game into the break at 37-27 in favor of the Hounds. Assumption shot 53.6 percent from the field in the half, led by eight points from senior forward Sabrina Siciliano (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield-Warde).

Southern New Hampshire began the second half strong, holding the Hounds without a field goal for seven minutes and climbing back to within eight at 45-37 after a layup from Sloane Sorrell. Assumption and senior guard Gabrielle Gibson (Amityville, N.Y./Copiague) answered in a big way though as the Hounds put together a 12-4 run behind 10 points from Gibson. The Hounds stretched that lead up to 57-41 on a turnaround jumper by Caitlin Ackerman (Nashua, N.H./Nashua South) before Michelle DeRoma drilled a three for the Penmen to make it 57-44 with 6:23 left. The Hounds were never threatened over the remainder of the half as they picked up their 10th win of the season.

Gibson led the Hounds with 25 points, including 18 that came in the second half. Joining her in double figures was Katy Howard (Medway, Mass./Medway) with 18 and Siciliano with 11, while junior Jamie Insel (Clinton, N.J./Voorhees) had a team-high six rebounds.

Lavalley led the Penmen with 13 points as she was joined in double figures by Sorrell with 12 and Lorreta Rocha with an 11-point showing.

With the win, Assumption improves to 10-3 overall and 7-2 in the league, while the Penmen fall to 6-7 overall and 3-6 in Northeast-10 play.

Assumption is back in action on Tuesday, January 15th as the Hounds travel to No. 23 ranked Stonehill College to take on the Skyhawks in a 5:30 p.m. start at Merkert Gym.

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