BOSTON, Mass. – The Salve Regina women's basketball team held Wentworth Institute of Technology to 19 percent shooting – including just under 14 percent in the second half – as the Seahawks won the Commonwealth Coast Conference opener for both squads, 60-36.
Wentworth opened the game on a 5-0 run with senior Kendra Kerr (Marshfield, Mass.) scoring three points, grabbing two rebounds, making one steal and taking a charge in the first seven minutes of the ball game.
The Seahawks quickly regrouped and bounced back with a 16-6 run to take a 16-11 lead they would not relinquish. Marissa Pendergast (Medfield, Mass.) grabbed the momentum and led her team back with two layups, the second drawing a foul.
Seahawks' guard Lisa Bucci (Irvington, N.Y.) then hit a three to extend their lead to 21-14 with 2:26 to go in the first half. Wentworth battled back in the final stages of half and cut the lead to five when Megan Camara (Fall River, Mass.) hit a layup at the buzzer. The Seahawks led 23-18 at the break.
Salve Regina started the second half on an 11-2 run and extended their lead to 14 with the score 34-20 at the 14:30 mark and never looked back, outscoring the hosts by a 37-20 margin over the final 20 minutes. Sophomore Meaghan Harden (Sandwich, Mass.) carried the Seahawks in the second half scoring all 10 of her points in the final period.
The Seahawks lead the Leopards in second chance points 11-7 and in points in the paint, 34-16. Salve Regina also out rebounded Wentworth 48-42. The Seahawks benched also outscored Wentworth's bench 22-4.
Camara was the only Leopard in double figures with 15 points, she added eight rebounds, and was 7-8 from the free throw line. Sophomores Carly Rogers (Scarborough, Maine) and Megan McLaughlin (Southington, Conn.) added six points each. Rogers pulled down seven rebounds while McLaughlin grabbed two. Kerr finished with five points, six rebounds, two assists and three steals.
Pendergast and Brianna Del Valle (Belcherton, Mass.) lead Salve with 12 points and 12 rebounds each. They also combined for six blocks and four assists and one steal between them. Harden added an assist and a steal to go along with her 10 second half points. Freshman Jillian Woodward (Orono, Maine) chipped in nine rebounds and eight points off the bench for the Seahawks.
Wentworth (2-3, 0-1) continues league play on Saturday when the Leopards host Curry College. Salve Regina (3-2, 1-0) travels to Roger Williams that same day.