WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ - Morgan Robertson registered her first double-double of the season, while Ashley Gale added 10 points and six boards, but Monmouth used a huge second-half surge to win the Championship Game of the Hawk Holiday Classic presented by Staybridge Suites and Hotels, Wednesday afternoon, 57-49.
Trailing by as many as 19 in the first and 17 at the break, the Hawks fought back and outscored the Explorers 39-14 in the second to improve to 5-6 this season and 4-1 at home.
Robertson scored a game-high tying 17 points and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds to go with two assists, a steal and a block. She started the game with a pair of threes from the top of the key which ignited a 14-0 run by the Explorers to open the contest.
Jamie Walsh, who finished with seven points and three assists, followed with a short jumper and then Gale and Walsh connected on threes, the second just 4:32 into the game to make it 14-0.
The Hawks scored their first basket at the 15:00 minute mark - an Erin Rooney jumper - then kept pace with the Explorers thanks to Gabby Singer. She led her team with 17 points, which including knocking down four three-pointers. Her first was followed by a three-point play and pulled her team to within 10 at 18-8.
Nadia Duncan scored her second basket of the first half at the 11:05 mark, but La Salle would go scoreless for the next four minutes as Monmouth would cut into the double-figure deficit.
Carly Thibault scored six of her 11 points in an 8-0 Hawk run, started by a three-point play. She ended the run when she knocked down the second of two free throws and with 7:46 left before intermission, the Hawks trailed by just four, 20-16.
However, the Explorers closed the half much like they started it, with a 15-0 run over a seven-minute stretch to push their lead to 19. Ashley and Antonia Gale and Robertson each scored five points in the run which was started by two Ashley free throws and capped by two Antonia foul shots.
Monmouth (5-6) hit the last basket of the half, scored the first six points out of the locker rooms, and used an 18-4 run overall to close to within five at 39-34 with 13:13 left in the contest.
They were not done. After Robertson connected on one foul shot, putting La Salle up eight at the 11:53 mark, Adriana Allen scored six straight points in an 11-3 Hawk run capped by Alysha Womack's jumper with 8:17 to play to tie the score at 45.
Robertson hit a lay-up to put the Explorers up two, but Singer responded with a three - the Hawks' first lead of the game - but was quickly taken back by Antonia Gale's lay-up, who finished with nine points and four rebounds.
However that basket, which put La Salle up 49-48 with 5:58 left in the game would be the Explorers last, and Monmouth slowly pushed its lead to four. With less than 30 seconds left, the Hawks converted 4-of-4 from the foul line to seal their victory.
Monmouth's Alexis Canady was named the MVP of the tournament, while Singer joined Robertson and Walsh on the All-Tournament Team. Howard's Saadia Doyle and Holy Cross' Meredith Ward also earned a spot on the team.
La Salle (4-9) is off for two days before returning to the court, hosting Penn on Saturday at Tom Gola Arena with a 1 PM start time.
