The Merrimack Warriors women’s basketball team is preparing to face Sacred Heart this Thursday at 7 p.m., aiming for a season sweep after recent strong performances. The team secured its spot in the Atlantic City tournament in March following a decisive win over Rider last Saturday. Over their last 14 games, the Warriors have won 12 times and held opponents under 60 points in eight of those contests.
Last weekend, Merrimack achieved its fourth consecutive victory by defeating Siena by 19 points at Lawler Arena. Four players scored in double figures, with Lydia Melaschenko leading with 22 points. In their previous game against Marist, the Warriors forced overtime with a buzzer-beater and eventually claimed victory, marking their fourth season sweep this year.
Senior Lydia Melaschenko set a new single-season program record for three-pointers made (77) after hitting one in the third quarter against Rider. She has averaged 3.25 three-pointers per game, leading both the MAAC conference and the nation in that category. Melaschenko recently hit four three-pointers against both Siena and Rider, and earlier had six threes in a win over Sacred Heart that brought her close to breaking the record.
Madison Roman continues to be a key contributor as the MAAC’s leading rebounder. She recorded her third straight double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds against Siena and scored 23 points in an overtime win over Marist last week. Roman has reached double figures in scoring for 14 consecutive games this season.
Graduate student Oralye Kiefer leads the conference in blocks with an average of 2.43 per game, ranking tenth nationally. Kiefer played a pivotal role in the team’s recent win over Marist by making a crucial shot to force overtime with less than one second remaining.
Defensively, Merrimack has allowed fewer than 60 points in ten of its last fifteen games and fewer than 70 points in thirteen of those contests. Madison Roman leads the conference with 190 defensive rebounds, while Paloma Garcia ranks third in steals with 58. As a team, Merrimack is second in total blocked shots within the conference, highlighted by Kiefer’s individual contribution of 58 blocks.
Merrimack’s consistent defense and standout individual performances have positioned them well as they look ahead to Thursday’s matchup against Sacred Heart.
