SJU Athletics Photos

WASHINGTON, DC (1/09/01) ­ All seven Colonials that played finished in double figures, as George Washington (9-5, 3-0 A-10) defeated St. Joseph's (8-6, 2-1 A-10) at the Smith Center, 86-76. Angela Zampella and Susan Moran carried the Hawks on the offensive end of the floor. Zampella finished with 25 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists, while Moran scored 27 points and collected 6 caroms. Their combined efforts, however, were not enough to offset a torrid shooting day from the field by the Colonials, who connected on 58% of their shots for the game. Leading by three at halftime, the Colonials surged ahead in the early going of the second half. Four straight three-point baskets sparked a 17-4 push that propelled G.W. into a commanding 57-39 advantage. As the half progressed, SJU was able to slice into the deficit, but the torrid shooting by the Blue and Gold stalled the Hawks' hope of a rally. G.W. shot .652 from the floor in the second stanza (15-23) and 75% from beyond the arc (6-8). "It is tough to press and be in control of the tempo when they spurt like that," said a weary head coach Stephanie Gaitley. "We had to limit who we played and when we played them." The Hawks took an early lead in the contest 8-5, but G.W. surged ahead with the help of a 13-2 run. Lindsey Davidson keyed the spurt connecting on three jumpers during that stretch. SJU hung close, however, with a long-range assault of its own. The Crimson and Gray knocked down 7-16 three-pointers before the break. Freshman Amra Mehmedic connected on three of her game-high four triples in the first period. The Hawks concluded the game with nine three-pointers to match a season high. The Colonials led at intermission 36-33. "We wanted them to beat us from outside. We had to play the percentages. To double the post and make them kick it out. They just hit their shots," explained Gaitley. "We need to use this game as a stepping stone. We need to grow as a team." For the game, the team's combined to shoot 33-35 at the charity stripe, including a school record tying 17-17 from the line by the Crimson and Gray. Zampella has now connected on 21 straight free throw over the course of three games. On Friday, SJU returns to Hawk Hill for a noon-time matinee against Duquesne on "Fieldtrip to the Fieldhouse Day." The second annual event will bring a capacity crowd of 3,200 children from throughout the Philadelphia area to Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse for a day of academics and athletics. The event, which is co-sponsored by Newspapers for Education (Philadelphia Inquirer/Daily News), will be hosted by Comcast SportsNet's Al Meltzer.