Alysha Womack Scores 1,000 Career Point in Victory over Wagner
With the playoffs beginning in only a week, the Hawks have secured their position in the Northeast Conference (NEC) tournament. Using their final games as practice for the tournament, the team had the pleasure of versing two conference opponents this past weekend.
On Saturday, the women traveled to Staten Island to compete against the Wagner Seahawks. MU was able to notch a win improving their record to 15-11 as well as improving their NEC record to 10-5 keeping them at third place in the conference. The game began with the Seahawks quickly taking charge over the Hawks’ defense.
The Hawks failed to take the lead until the scoreboard’s time showed 9:12 was left in the first half. Junior Chevannah Paalvast’s three pointer was the key for the lead change making it a 10-9 game. The Seahawks managed to stay in the competition and by 6:20 they had successfully taken the two-point lead with a score of 19-17. But Monmouth did not fall far behind and when there was 1:25 left in the first half, the two teams had evened it up at 24-24 which is where the score would remain until both reentered after halftime.
When play resumed in the second half, neither the Hawks or Seahawks seemed to lack endurance. It was not until five minutes into play when the Hawks took a definite lead. At four minutes and 47 seconds, Monmouth had taken a four-point lead which increased to a 13 point lead within the next four minutes. As the scoreboard read 10:43, Wagner attempted to make a comeback by scoring two points knocking MU’s lead down to 11 points, but via Womack the Hawks were able to score the next four points making a 15 point gap.
The ladies did not let the Seahawks come anywhere close to their lead throughout the next minutes of play and by 1:55, Monmouth took an 18-point lead over Wagner, 68-50. The Hawks would go on to win the game 70-54.
While the game did provide quality entertainment for fans, one player seemed to be the center of attention for everyone in attendance. MU’s junior guard, Alysha Womack, scored the 1,000th point of her college career on Saturday as well as having a game high 16 points. Womack has now become the 15th player in University’s D1 history as well as the fifth women at Monmouth to ever accomplish this endeavor as a junior. Head coach of the Hawks, Jenny Palmateer, could not be more proud to of Womack’s feat.
“I’m extremely happy for Alysha. Being able to score her 1,000th point her junior year really speaks to just how talented she is,” Palmateer continues, “She is a hard worker and very humble about the accomplishment. She just wants to do whatever she can to help the team win games which is real credit to who she is.”
When entering the game, Womack was aware that this encounter with Wagner may very well be when she would make her 1,000th point as a Hawk. “I had been hearing about it [1,000th point] from my family and friends and of course a couple of write-ups before certain games I saw it, but I just play every game to help my team win,” Womack states. For most basketball players, their 1,000th point is one of their greatest milestones of the game.
But in Alysha Womack’s eyes, there is a greater milestone set. “My goal is to continue what I have been doing, and the ultimate goal is to get to the NCA tournament,” she goes on to say, “If I could play basketball [further] on, that would be nice but for right now, the goal is to get to the NCA tournament.”
MU had the chance to move one step closer to the goal of competing in the NCA tournament as they played Mount St Mary in Maryland this past Monday. Unfortunately, the women could not seize the opportunity presented and found themselves on the losing end with a close score of 60-56.
By half time, the two teams were tied 29-29. What really damaged the Hawks was the excessive amount of turnovers allowed with the number reaching 20 while the Mountaineers had 11. Monmouth had a total of 40 rebounds and made 70 percent of their free throws. Womack led the team with 19 points while Chevannah Paalvast led the team in assists with three. But all this was not enough and Monmouth’s record fell to 15-12.
The Hawks will next face a 20-8 LIU Brooklyn at 3:00 pm in the MAC for their second to last regular season game.
PHOTO COURTESY of MU Photography
