Mount women top St. Francis, advance to NEC semifinals

EMMITSBURG -- Heather Wable scored 18 points and Susie Rowlyk added 16 to lead Mount St. Mary's to a sluggish 78-63 victory over St. Francis, N.Y., last night in a Northeast Conference women's tournament quarterfinal.

The Mountaineers (23-3), the tournament's top seed, will play host to fourth-seeded Rider in a semifinal at 7 tomorrow night.

Freshman Nicole Schroyer scored seven of her 11 points in the first 6:25 of the game as the Mount jumped to a 21-6 lead.

However, the hosts went cold from the field and didn't score a field goal over the next 8:15 as St. Francis cut the deficit to 22-16.

Margaret Murphy hit consecutive three-pointers to get the Lady Terriers within 25-22 at the 4:33 mark.

The Mount, which struggled from the foul line for most of the game and finished 21 of 44 (47 percent), did score seven points from the stripe at the end of the half and led 36-27 at halftime.