Pride Women’s Hoop Breaks into Win Column, 72-60

WESTON, Mass. - Behind a career-high performance by sophomore Madi Zancan (Cumberland, R.I.), Regis College picked up its first victory of the season, defeating Wheaton College, 72-60, Wednesday night in a non-conference women's collegiate basketball game at Higgins Court.

Zancan shot 13-for-20 from the field for 28 points, plus she pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds, career best marks in both categories. Courtney Doherty (Willimantic, Conn.) finished with 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals, and Jordyn Striggles (Raynham, Mass.) contributed 12 points and three steals.

After the teams exchanged baskets in the first minute of play, Regis rattled off nine unanswered points over the next five-and-a-half minutes before Kennis Jasperson stopped the run with a three-pointer. In the final seconds, Bella George (Lynnfield, Mass.) grabbed a rebound, raced down the court, and found Zancan under the basket for a layup that gave the Pride a 15-8 advantage after the first quarter.

Regan Keyter brought the Lyons within three points in the second quarter with a layup, but the Pride responded with 11 straight points, capped by a Striggles three-pointer. The teams basically exchanged points the rest of the period, with Zancan again closing out the scoring with a layup to extend Regis' lead to 34-21 at halftime.

Midway through the third quarter, the Lyons put together a rally by scoring nine unanswered points, featuring three-pointers by Sydney Ropes and Riley Sprague. Kailyn Smith (Chelmsford, Mass.) scored three straight points to help the Pride temporarily hold off the Lyons as the home team took a 49-43 lead into the final quarter.

Doherty scored the first two points of the fourth quarter before Wheaton rattled off eight unanswered points, with a steal and jumper from Abby Fernandes tying the game at 51-51. Zancan quickly responded with a traditional three-point play as she scored seven straight Regis points to put her team ahead for good. Maddie Mueller made a free throw to bring the Lyons within four points at 58-54, but the Pride put the game away with six straight points.

Keyter shot 7-for-12 from the field as she led the Lyons with 14 points, while Kiki Walters finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. As a team, Wheaton shot just 31.4 percent (22-for-70) from the field, including 5-for-24 from behind the three-point line, and 68.8 percent (11-for-16) from the free throw line.

In notching its highest point total of the season, Regis shot 45.8 percent (27-for-59) from the field and 83.3 percent (15-for-18) from the free throw line. The Pride also won the rebounding battle, 47-37.

Regis (1-6) opens conference play at Dean College Saturday, Dec. 2, starting at 1 p.m. Wheaton (3-3) will participate in a weekend tournament hosted by Williams College, facing the host school Friday, Dec. 1, starting at 6 p.m.