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O'Connell Grabs the Spotlight
After enjoying a monster week averaging 20.0 points per game and 19.0 rebounds per game, junior center Catherine O'Connell (Quincy, Mass.) was tabbed as the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Player of the Week as well as being selected to the regional New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWVA) Honor Roll. It was the second time this season the South Shore native earned both accolades as the Nighthawks are off to their best conference start, 5-1, and winners of seven of their last nine games.
Following an 18 point, 21 rebound performance in a 73-65 road victory against Bay Path College, O'Connell helped the Nighthawks atone for last season's two-point, 73-71, post-season loss to Becker College and swept the Hawks in a 76-44 rout. In 26 minutes of action, O'Connell netted 17 points while ripping down 14 boards. She capped off her outstanding week, Saturday January 14th, dropping a career single game-high 25 points on Elms College in addition to registering her 11th straight double-double of the season, grabbing a game-high 22 rebounds.
O'Connell's 11 double-doubles in 2011-2012 puts her in a two-way tie for second in the nation second only to William Paterson's forward April Smith, who has 12 on the year. She and her Nighthawk teammates will look to continue their impressive season tonight when they travel down Route 30 to tip-off against a tough Regis College Pride team at 5:30 p.m.
