Pride Women’s Hoop Battles Regional Rival Until Final Buzzer

WESTON, Mass. - Regis College battled back from a double-digit deficit to come within two points early in the fourth quarter, but WPI was able to pull away for a 60-49 victory Monday night in a non-conference women's collegiate basketball game at Higgins Court.

Pam Gonzalez (Revere, Mass.) led the Pride with 11 points and seven steals, while Jordyn Striggles (Bridgewater, Mass.) and Courtney Doherty (Willimantic, Conn.) finished with 10 points apiece. Madi Zancan (Cumberland, R.I.) contributed eight points, eight rebounds, four steals, and two blocked shots, and Valerie Whalen (Stoughton, Mass.) led all players with 11 rebounds.

Zancan scored the first basket of the game, but WPI quickly responded with a 9-2 scoring run, capped by a three-pointer from Alex Scariati. Regis scored the final five points of the first quarter on a traditional three-point play from Olivia Pacheco (Waterford, Conn.) and a layup by Gonzalez to tie the game at 11-11 after the opening period.

After a three-pointer by Striggles gave Regis a 21-19 advantage midway through the second quarter, the Engineers put together a 15-3 scoring run to close out the first half. Emily Raynowska punctuated the run with an offensive rebound and layup as time ran out to extend the WPI advantage to 34-24 at halftime.

Gonzalez hit a three-pointer one minute into the third quarter, but WPI held off the Pride for the next six-and-a-half minutes. After a jumper by Adrianna Niles increased the Engineer lead back to 10 at 45-35, Doherty hit two three-pointers late in the period while WPI committed three turnovers as the Pride drew to within four points at 45-41 heading into the final quarter.

Doherty hit a jumper one minute into the fourth period to close the Pride deficit to two points, but Melanie Presseau responded with a three-pointer. The Engineers would pull away thanks to consecutive baskets by Lisa Cristiano, McKenna Finken, and Alice Kelly. Regis made one final push as Striggles hit a three-pointer to bring the Pride within six points with 2:18 remaining in regulation, but WPI put the game away on a layup by Cristiano and a three-pointer from Scariati.

Kelly and Cristiano led the Engineers with 16 points apiece, with Kelly also collecting seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocked shots. Scariati nearly finished with a triple-double, accumulating 14 assists along with nine points and nine rebounds.

As a team, WPI shot 47.9 percent (23-for-48) from the field and 71.4 percent (10-for-14) from the free throw line, plus the Engineers won the rebounding battle, 38-30. Regis shot 31 percent (18-for-58) from the field, including 7-for-16 from behind the three-point line, and 54.5 percent (6-for-11) from the free throw line.

Regis College (1-5) heads to Providence, R.I., to face Johnson and Wales University Wednesday, Dec. 7, starting at 5:30 p.m. WPI (6-2) hosts UMass Boston Saturday, Dec. 10, beginning at 2 p.m.