WORCESTER – Senior Priscilla Dunphy (Barrington, RI) poured in a game-best 15 points, including a trio of threes, to help host WPI secure a 65-51, NEWMAC women's basketball victory over Coast Guard Saturday afternoon in Harrington Auditorium.
Juniors Stasha Greenalch (Newington, CT) and Maura Buckley (Melrose, MA) each scored 12 points as Buckley also filled the stat sheet with seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block and Greenalch handed out five assists. Junior Ama Biney (Worcester, MA) pitched in with 10 points, six defensive rebounds, four assists and two swipes.
Freshman Laura Irish (Boise, ID) led the Bears with 12 points followed by sophomore Micaela Martinelli (Vero Beach, FL) with 11. Martinelli also pulled down nine boards to go with eight by rookie Brenna Wood (Somerset, MA). First-year Zoe Riis-Fallica (Patchogue, NY) doled out five assists as Martinelli and junior Jill Bray (Glastonbury, CT) were credited with three apiece. Thirty of Coast Guard's points came from beyond the arc, including a 3 for 3 performance by Irish and three more by Martinelli.
The Bears owned an early 3-0 advantage thanks to a triple by Riis-Fallica. Later in the first, WPI junior Madison Beck (Syracuse, NY) canned a jumper at 2:52 to not only spark a 9-2 run but also take the 11-10 lead. Greenalch highlighted the spurt with six of her eight first half points. The Engineers used the second quarter to double up their lead to 16 (36-20).
The Crimson and Gray went up by 21 early in the third but thanks to Martinelli, the Bears were able to get within 14 as 2:55 showed on the scoreboard. After Biney made it a 20-point game 29 seconds in to the fourth, Coast Guard embarked on a 14-1 run, which included a reverse layup by Wood, to cut the deficit to seven with under four to play. WPI extended the lead to 14 in the waning moments as Biney delivered a three with 16 seconds remaining.
WPI owned margins of 30-16 off turnovers, 24-8 in the paint, and 8-2 in transition. Coast Guard had slim leads in second chance (10-8) and bench (19-17) points.
Both teams are home for Tuesday night conference tilts as the Engineers (12-2, 4-1 NEWMAC) conclude their five-game homestand with Emerson and the Bears (2-10, 0-4) take on Babson.