LAWRENCE, KS ( Feb. 24, 2023) – The stage was set at Haskell University for the first quarterfinal match-up of the Continental Athletic Conference tournament. Florida National University’s women’s basketball team suffered a dramatic defeat to the Washington Adventist Shock, 64-71. These teams met earlier in the year in Massachusetts where the Shock (19-7) delivered an 84-45 win over the Conquistadors (10-11).
While the first meeting between these two CAC powerhouses was a landslide win for WAU, this postseason meeting saw FNU command a 38-31 lead at halftime. In the first period, FNU shot 71.4% for the quarter thanks in part to Janelisse Marty Marrero. The San Juan, Puerto Rico, native was electric with 17 points on six of eight shooting from the floor. The junior was feeling it from downtown knocking down four threes as FNU earned a 26-18 lead entering the second.
The Shock worked their way back into the game outsourcing the Conquistadors 13-12 in the second. Marty Marrero and Natalie Larranaga combined for eight points as both sides look to close out the game in the second half. In the third, FNU held a comfortable 44-33 advantage after a made layup by forward Tyra Kirlew, with all signs pointing towards an FNU upset. That was until the Shock rattled off seven unanswered points to bring FNU’s lead to within three. The Shock went on to outscore FNU 9-6 down the stretch of the third to set up a tied ball game heading to the final frame.
WAU put up three points in the opening four minutes of the fourth to take a 53-50 lead before Marty Marrero iced a clutch corner three to tie up the game. Both teams traded blows back and forth but what claimed the game for WAU was a clutch performance from the free-throw line. The Shock went 14-18 from the charity stripe while FNU only visited the line four times for two made shots.
Marty Marrero lead all scorers with 27 points to go along with three rebounds, four assists and two steals. Larranaga put up a double-double with 20 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
