Pride Women’s Hoop Holds On for Sixth Straight GNAC Win

WESTON, Mass. – Regis College put together a significant run at the end of the first half to open a 16-point advantage before Colby-Sawyer College rallied in the second half, but the Pride was able to hold off the Chargers for a 54-51 victory Tuesday night in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's basketball game at Higgins Court.

Pam Gonzalez (Revere, Mass.) notched her fourth double-double of the season, collecting 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field along with 13 rebounds. Nikki Bitinaitis (Cromwell, Conn.) hit three three-pointers as she finished with a season-high 13 points along with five assists, and Arie Searcy (Santa Rosa, Calif.) played the entire game as she ended up with eight points, five rebounds, and two blocked shots.

After Colby-Sawyer scored the first points of the game, Regis went on a 9-3 scoring run to pull ahead midway through the first quarter. Sydney Noyes hit a three-pointer to put the Chargers ahead, 10-9, but Shannon Kelley (Quincy, Mass.) answered with her own three-pointer, starting an 8-0 Pride scoring run as they took the lead back at 17-10.

The Chargers scored the final five points of the first quarter on a three-pointer by Caitlyn Boucher and two free throws from Tianna Sugars. Colby-Sawyer then opened the second quarter with five straight points, taking the lead at 20-17 on baskets by Sugars and Noelle Barrett.

Gonzalez tied the game with a three-pointer, starting a 19-0 Pride scoring run capped by a three-pointer from Bitinaitis off an offensive rebound and assist from Erin Leahy (Hanson, Mass.). Sugars would make two free throws to stop the Regis scoring stretch, but the Pride held a 36-22 advantage at halftime.

Down 41-28 after a traditional three-point play from Gonzalez, Colby-Sawyer held Regis scoreless in the final six minutes of the third quarter, scoring six points in that span to close its deficit to 41-34 heading into the fourth quarter. Lexie Hamilton brought the Chargers closer with a three-pointer, but two free throws from Taylor Iorfino (Monroe, Conn.) and a Bitinaitis three-pointer extended the Pride lead back to nine at 46-37 two minutes into the period.

Hamilton was fouled attempting a three-pointer and made two of the free throws, followed by a layup and an assist on a layup from Sugars to bring Colby-Sawyer within three at 46-43. Hamilton answered a Gonzalez jumper with a layup, and Kristen Donaghey converted on her own layup to bring the visitors within one at 48-47 with 4:28 remaining in regulation.

After the teams traded empty possessions, Iorfino found Gonzalez underneath the basket for a layup, but Hamilton made two free throws to bring the Chargers back within one. Gonzalez hit a jumper, but Riley Corrigan made her own jumper to cut the Regis lead to 52-51 with 1:50 left on the clock.

Colby-Sawyer gained possession on a jump ball to earn a chance to take the lead, but the Chargers could not score. Boucher committed a steal to give the Chargers another chance, but they missed two shots before Regis gained possession with a defensive rebound.

With 18 seconds remaining in regulation, Mackenzie Emery (Standish, Maine) was fouled and made the first free throw attempt. She missed the second attempt, but Searcy grabbed the offensive rebound and threw a pass to Gonzalez, who was fouled. Gonzalez missed the first attempt but made the second from the charity stripe, and Colby-Sawyer called timeout to advance the ball past midcourt.

With a chance to tie the game, the Chargers put the ball in Hamilton's hands, but the senior could not convert on a three-point attempt, and Gonzalez grabbed the final rebound of the night to secure the victory for the Pride.

Sugars led the Chargers with her own double-double, earning 18 points and 13 rebounds along with four assists and three steals. Hamilton finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals, while Barrett contributed six points, five rebounds, and a blocked shot in 13 minutes off the bench.

As a team, Colby-Sawyer shot 34.6 percent (18-of-52) from the field, including 3-of-17 from behind the three-point line, and 70.6 percent (12-of-17) from the free throw line. The Chargers controlled the rebounding battle, 43-33, but they also committed 20 turnovers leading to 20 Regis points.

The Pride shot 33.9 percent (19-of-56) from the field, including 7-of-19 from behind the three-point line, and 64.3 percent (9-of-14) from the free throw line. With Regis' victory coupled with Suffolk's win over Saint Joseph's College, there is now a three-way tie atop the GNAC standings at 6-1 involving the Pride, the Rams, and the Monks.

Colby-Sawyer (13-7, 3-4 GNAC) hosts Lasell Saturday, Feb. 8, starting at 3 p.m.

Regis (12-9, 6-1 GNAC) hits the road to face Norwich University Saturday, Feb. 8, with a 1 p.m. tipoff. The Pride play their final two home games of the regular season next week against Suffolk Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 8 p.m. and Anna Maria Saturday, Feb. 15, at 1 p.m.