In a thrilling semifinal matchup at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament on Friday, Mount St. Mary’s clinched a spot in the finals by narrowly defeating No. 2 seed Merrimack with a score of 57-55. The team’s success was highlighted by Arlandus Keyes, who led the charge for the six-seeded Mountaineers by contributing 13 points. Keyes ensured the victory by making a crucial free throw with only 35 seconds remaining.
Up next, Mount St. Mary’s will face off against fourth-seeded Iona, following Iona’s impressive victory over the top-seeded Quinnipiac by a score of 81-73 in their semifinal bout. This sets the stage for an exciting final between Mount St. Mary’s and Iona.
For the Mountaineers, Keyes had a significant performance, shooting 3 for 7 from the field, including 2 of 6 from beyond the arc, and making all five of his attempts from the free-throw line. Jedy Cordilia was another key player, contributing nine points and grabbing ten rebounds while shooting 3 for 5 from the field and converting 3 of 4 attempts from the line. Dallas Hobbs added eight points, hitting 2 of 7 from three-point territory and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line.
Merrimack’s standout performer was Sean Trumper, who led all scorers with 20 points and added four steals and two blocks to his stat line. Adam Clark supported the effort with 13 points and seven assists, while Devon Savage added eight points and pulled down six rebounds for the Warriors, who completed their season with an 18-15 record.
The Mountaineers went into halftime with a narrow 25-24 lead, buoyed by Keyes’ eight points during the first half. In the second half, Dallas Hobbs emerged as a key contributor for Mount St. Mary’s, notching a team-high of eight points. As the tournament progresses, Mount St. Mary’s will aim to carry this momentum into their championship game against a formidable Iona squad.
