WORCESTER -- Dorothy Stotts (Edina, MN) canned a pair of free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining to lift visiting Coast Guard to an exciting 62-60 triumph over WPI in a NEWMAC women's basketball contest played Saturday afternoon inside Harrington Auditorium.
The Bears improve to 17-6 on the season and 6-3 in conference play. WPI, which has alternated wins and losses in their last seven outings, falls to 11-12 overall and 3-6 in NEWMAC play.
The entire second half was played in a nine-point window with neither team able to advance a lead upon four points. WPI trailed by two at 58-56 but got the ball back with 1:39 remaining after Emmy Allyn (Rutland, MA) drew an offensive foul and tied the game on the ensuing possession when Adrianna Niles (Tewksbury, MA) hit a free throw line extended jumper with 1:14 to go. Coast Guard answered right back as Kelly Hagerty (Emerald Isle, NC) finished a pick-and-roll with a short turnaround jumper in the lane to give the Bears a 60-58 edge with 48.1 seconds remaining.
The Engineers mustered the game's 13th and final tie as Alice Kelly (Wethersfield, CT) netted of 1-of-2 free throws on back-to-back trips, the second of which with 10.5 left to even the score at 60-60. Coast Guard called a timeout to advance and drew up a play for Stotts, who drove strongly to right side of the hoop and was fouled at the rim. The sophomore calmly sunk both and WPI, who did not have a timeout remaining, was forced to go the length of the floor. Allyn got a good look from about 35 feet away which hit iron but did not fall.
Kira Wood (Seattle, WA) was one of three Bears to reach double figures in scoring. The senior netted 17 points and added five rebounds and four assists. Stotts finished with 16 points and Glory Blethen (Boothbay, ME) tossed in 10 points and dished out 10 assists. Taylor Lynch (Madison, IN) came of the bench to contribute seven points and five assists as Coast Guard totaled 17 helpers on the day on 24 made field goals.
Niles, Kelly and Ava Giansiracusa (Wethersfield, CT) combined for 45 of WPI's 60 points on the day. Niles paced all scorers with 18 points, including 10 in the third quarter and chipped in with seven rebounds. Kelly posted her first double-double of the season and third of her career registering 17 points and corralling a career-best 15 rebounds, including nine off the offensive glass. The senior also drew six fouls on the day and went 7-of-10 from the charity stripe. Giansiracusa highlighted the Engineer bench effort, accounting for 10 of the Crimson and Gray's 14 points from reserves.
WPI opened the game strong and buoyed by eight early points from Kelly led 15-11 with just under two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Coast Guard then clamped down defensively, forcing the Engineers to misfire on their next 10 field goal attempts as the Bears rattled off 14 straight points during a time where they drained 5-of-7 from the field to surge ahead 25-15 however the hosts scrapped back with an 8-0 spurt of their own to only trail 27-23 at the half. Coast Guard's Blethen led the visitors with eight points in the opening 20 minutes.
WPI beings its final push for the postseason next week, venturing to Wellesley for a 7pm contest with the Blue on Wednesday. Coast Guard returns home the same day, hosting Salve Regina at 6pm.