Nashua, NH – Junior Alycia Gervais (Windham, Conn.) notched her second double double double of the season with a game high 19 points and tied her career high with 15 rebounds leading host Daniel Webster College past longtime rival St. Joseph College of Connecticut, 48-44 in a regional women's basketball matchup Monday night at the Mario Vagge Gymnasium.
Senior Alyssa Regan (Salem, N.H.) added 15 points and six boards as the Eagles (3-2) halted a five-game Blue Jay (6-2) winning streak and topped SJC for the fifth-straight season. St. Joseph was off to its best start after seven games in program history.
Tonisha Tate (Lynn, Mass.) added six points off the bench while Sarah Paternostro (Glastonbury, Conn.) had five points.
Natalie Mastarreno (Glastonbury) was the only Blue Jay to reach double figures with 13 points including three three-pointers. Ilaria Schiano (Wallingford, Conn.) and Devon Diliberto (Waterbury, Conn.) added nine points each.
DWC survived on a night when team leading scorer Vanessa Bosques (N. Windham, Conn.) was held without a point for the first time in her career.
Both teams struggled with shooting and ball control. DWC turned the ball over 30 times while SJC lost the ball 21 times and the Eagles hit for 31-percent from the floor but SJC struggled badly in the second frame, managing just four second half field goals and finished 26-percent from the field on the evening.
The Eagles were also aided by a massive advantage on the boards (53-34) including an 18-12 win on the offensive glass.
DWC had led by as many as seven (20-13) in the first half before the Blue Jays answered with a 16-3 run to close the half keyed by two treys from Mastarreno and two layups each from Adele Ruel (Burlington, Conn.) and Diamond Doe (Lynn. Mass.) for a 29-23 lead at the break.
The lead was six (31-25) after a Schiano tip in with 18:02 to go, but two misses and four turnovers opened a window for DWC, who answered with 12-0 run that consumed nearly seven minutes.
SJC would pull back within two (42-40) on a Schiano layup with 4:35 left, but a Gervais freebie at the line and a Paternostro trey from the right pocket made it 46-40 with 2:49 left and the Eagles would hold on down the stretch.
The Eagles return to action on Thursday when they host New England College at 5:30 p.m.
St. Joseph's visits Elms College Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.