WESTON, Mass. – The Regis College women's basketball team used rebounding and tough defense to overcome Anna Maria, 47-42 in GNAC action Saturday afternoon at Higgins Court.
Before the game the Pride honored their three women's basketball seniors, Brianna Goguen (Andover, Mass.), Katryna Veasey (Quincy, Mass.), and Taylor Iorfino (Monroe, Conn.).
Regis's Pam Gonzalez (Revere, Mass.) and Anna Maria's Amber Wilson both scored a game-high 15 points. Sienna Johnson and Sierra Johnson scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the AMCATS, while Iorfino also finished in double figures with 11 points. Both Gonzalez and Iorfino finished with a double-double, collecting 10 rebounds each.
Anna Maria jumped out to a 9-3 lead early in the first quarter before the Pride closed the deficit to one with 1:43 remaining in the first off a Gonzalez three-pointer. The AMCATS scored five points to close out the quarter holding a 14-8 lead.
In the second quarter, Iorfino hit a pair of free throws and was followed by Mackenzie Emery (Standish, Maine) hitting a three-pointer 29 seconds later. The Pride scored eight straight points to take their first lead of the game with 5:27 remaining in the first half. The Pride went into the halftime break with the lead, 22-19.
With 8:29 remaining in the third quarter, Sienna Johnson hit a jump shot, followed with a layup to take the lead back from the Pride, 25-24. Gonzalez and Iorfino combined for the next seven points of the contest. The Pride clutched a 34-31 lead after the third quarter.
Anna Maria took another lead in the fourth quarter after Sierra Johnson scored four points in a row before Veasey hit a pair of shots from the line to knot up the game at 37-37. The Pride took the lead for good on two free throws from Arie Searcy (Santa Rosa, Calif.) and a layup from Gonzalez. Anna Maria cut the lead down to one before Nikki Bitinaitis (Cromwell, Conn.) and Gonzalez each hit their free throws to ice the game.
The Pride held the rebounding edge, 50-31, collecting 26 offensive boards. Regis also assisted on 11 baskets during the contest.
Anna Maria (6-17, 2-7 GNAC) plays the University of St. Joseph Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 5 p.m. before closing out their regular season slate on Saturday, Feb. 22 against Albertus Magnus.
Regis (14-10, 8-2 GNAC) will play Saint Joseph's College on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. to finish the regular season.