Dec. 9, 2001

Box Score

The University of Denver women's basketball team fell to Monmouth (80-68) Sunday at Boylan Gym in West Long Branch, N.J. The Pioneers increase the losing skid to six games (2-7), while Monmouth improves to 4-4 on the season.

"It's disappointing to lose this game, but I thought we played well in spurts," head coach Pam Tanner said. "We haven't been playing to win, we seem to work hard to get close and then relax, so we have some things to work on."

Denver got on the board first, opening the game with five straight points before Monmouth recovered to score the next six points and continue on an 11-2 run to go ahead for the first time 11-6 five minutes into the contest. After four lead changes and four ties, the teams went to the locker room tied at 27 points apiece. The Pioneers shot just 10-34 from the field, but fortunately made four three pointers, three from junior forward Ashley Atkinson (Springfield, Mo./Kickapoo). Monmouth made good on 36 percent of its 25 shooting opportunities and scored nine points from the free throw line.

In the second half, Monmouth managed to open a five-point lead seven minutes into the second half (40-35), but Denver fought back to tie the game at 49 points with just under 10 minutes to play. Monmouth used a 10-4 run to earn a 59-53 lead again. Denver tied the game again at 61 points with a trey from Nikki Weddle with five minutes to go. Monmouth took control of the game at the end, building a nine-point lead (70-61) with just 1:42 to play as Rashawnah French converted back-to-back field goals and a conventional three-point play. Denver tried to get back into the game by fouling, but could not convert its shots down the stretch and the Hawks increased their margin of victory to 12 points.

Denver's Atkinson led the team with 16 points, Misty Staton (Duke, Okla./Duke) added 14 points and Nikki Weddle (Denver, Colo./Montbello/CU) scored 12. Four Monmouth players scored 17 points apiece to lead the Hawks: French, Michelle Cappadona, Jewonda Bright and LaToya Thompson.

The Pioneers completed a three-game, six-day road trip and will return home to host the Pioneer Classic Tournament Dec. 14-16, featuring BYU and Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Magness Arena.