Sipaviciute's 22-Point Effort Not Enough As SU Loses To Villanova, 72-55

Tuesday, January 10

Villanova, Pa.

7:30 p.m.

Syracuse University

Villanova

Vaida Sipaviciute blocked her 100th shot against Villanova.

Sipaviciute's 22-Point Effort Not Enough As SU Loses To Villanova, 72-55

1/10/2006 9:33:14 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

VILLANOVA, Pa. – Sophomore Vaida Sipaviciute (Kaunas, Lithuania) recorded 22 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Orange, but it was Villanova taking a 72-55 decision on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at The Pavilion. Sipaviciute also blocked her 100^th shot of her career, which moves her into fifth on the all-time Orange ledger.

Sipaviciute provided the offensive spark in the first half with 14 points off the bench. She scored four points in the last two games combined and 15 each against Quinnipiac and Cornell. Sipaviciute also blocked her 100^th career shot in the half, which moves her into fifth all-time in the category. She passed Bonnie Baker who amassed 99 in her career from 1984-86.

Junior Tracy Harbut (Lexington, Ky.) added 11 points for SU.

The Orange starting lineup had a different look against the Wildcats tonight. Sophomore Amanda Adamson (Littleton, Colo.) started her first game of the 2005-06 campaign after starting 13 a year ago. Freshman Lina Lisnere (Riga, Latvia) started in her third game of the season, and first since the Carrier Dome opener on Dec. 10 against Massachusetts. Redshirt freshman Sara Antolick (Bethlehem, Pa.) started her fourth game of the season and first since Dec. 17 versus Binghamton.

Villanova jumped out to an early 11-3 lead in the opening minutes, and expanded the cushion to 14, 22-8, with 7:45 left in the half. Down 29-17 with 3:50 left in the opening frame, the Orange went on a 13-5 run to slice the Wildcats’ lead to 34-30 in the remaining seconds before the half. Betsy McManus drove and laid in a basket for Villanova as time expired to give the Wildcats a 36-30 heading into the locker rooms.

The Orange scored the first four points in the second half as Lisnere and Sipaviciute both knocked down baskets. SU was within two, 36-34, which was the closest it had been since the score was 5-3 at the 16:40 mark in the first half. Villanova responded with a 12-3 run that expanded its lead to 48-37 and sealed its first BIG EAST win of the season. SU got as close as six points, 54-49, on a Britney Smith (Milwaukee, Wisc.) layup with 8:41 left in the game.

For the Wildcats (10-4, 1-2), Liad Suez-Karni scored a game-best 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting to become the 18^th Wildcat to notch 1,000 career points. Jackie Adamshick tallied a double-double with 16 points and 14 boards, and Lisa Karcic scored 13 points. As a team, Villanova shot 49 percent for the game on 28-of-57 from the floor.

SU (7-8, 0-4) returns to the Dome on Saturday, Jan. 14, when it hosts Marquette for a 1:00 p.m. BIG EAST clash.