NAC Quarterfinal - Husson 75, Johnson State 65
Senior Jenna Lewis scored a team-high 21 points in the Badgers 75-65 NAC Quarterfinal loss to Husson on Tuesday
Bangor, Maine (February 26, 2008)
Johnson State was eliminated from the 2008 North Atlantic Conference playoffs by falling to Husson College 75-65 on Tuesday night at Newman Gymnasium on the campus of Husson College.
The Badgers finish their season with an 11-15 overall record. JSC has fallen in the quarterfinal round of the NAC playoffs in three consecutive seasons.
Johnson State trailed 27-21 following a Claudia Martineau (Washington, Vt./Spaulding) jump shot with 8:08 remaining in the first half. The Eagles would respond with a 21-7 run to close out the half and head into the locker room with a 43-28 halftime lead.
Senior Jenna Lewis (Middlebury, Vt./Middlebury) scored nine first half points and hit on 7-of-9 free throws to lead the Badgers in the first half while Shelby Bradford (Lee, Maine/Lee Academy) tallied 14 points and six rebounds over the first 20 minutes to pace Husson.
Husson would push the lead to 22 points with 13:14 remaining after a Kelsey Lavertu (Howland, Maine/Penobscot Valley) jumper and would get it to that margin two more times in the second half.
Johnson State would not roll over as they play extremely hard to close out the game on a 11-2 run over the final 2:20 for the final 10-point difference.
The Badgers were led by standout senior Lewis who scored a team-high 21 points and dish out a team-high five assists while also grabbing five rebounds, collecting three steals, and blocking a pair of shots to close a tremendous three-year career at Johnson. Lewis spent her freshman year at the University of Vermont but did not play varsity basketball.
Junior Casey Rusin (Wilmington, Vt./Wilmington) tossed in 14 points and Martineau added 13 points to supplement the JSC offense.
Bradford finished with a game-high 23 points and added 10 rebounds and five assists for Husson who will move on the semifinal round and play in-state rival Maine Maritime Academy on Friday at 8:00 pm in a game played at Castleton State College in Castleton, Vermont. Sophomore Ashley Bragdon (Newport, Vt./Nokomis Regional) scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds.