LEICESTER, MA - Three players posted double-doubles, and the Wheelock College women's basketball team chipped an early double-digit deficit to five before coming up short, 64-46, on Thursday evening at Becker College's Leicester Gymnasium during a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) contest. The Wildcats slipped to 3-10 overall and 2-4 in the league, while the Hawks improved to 3-11 and 1-5.

Sophomore Keneisha Milton (Boston, MA/Wayland) totaled 14 points, 12 rebounds and three steals to lead the Wheelock offense, and junior Kayla Drescher (Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan) notched 11 points, a career-high 15 boards and three assists while playing all 40 minutes. The double-double was the first of Drescher's career.

Junior Maya Spratling (Dorchester, MA/Cathedral) had 10 points, 12 rebounds and four helpers, while senior Joy Holliday (Milford, MA/Milford) added nine points. Classmate Caitlin Kerr (Attleboro, MA/Bishop Feehan) chipped in with three steals. The Wildcats held a 49-34 advantage on the glass, including 24-8 at the offensive end.

Freshman Chelsea Joubert (Westboro, MA/Assabet Valley Regional Technical) led Becker with 18 points, classmate Tatiana Mojica (Worcester, MA/Doherty Memorial) recorded 15 points and seven rebounds, and junior Kristina Desnoyers (Adams, MA/Hoosac Valley) had 12 points, seven rebounds, seven steals and six assists. The Hawks shot 49.1 percent and picked up 19 steals.

Wheelock edged ahead 4-2 on a Milton hoop at the 17:50 mark of the opening half before Becker scored 17 of the next 19 points over a 5:48 stretch, taking a 19-6 advantage by 11:34. The Wildcats countered with seven straight points, as Spratling's jumper capped the run at 9:13. Drescher scored her second straight hoop at 7:05, making it 22-17, but the Hawks netted 14 of the ensuing 21 points to extend their lead to a dozen. Holliday nailed a three with fewer than 10 seconds to go, bringing her squad within 36-27 by halftime.

The visitors twice made it a seven-point game during the opening 1:52 of the second stanza, including Milton's lay-up creating a 38-31 margin. Wheelock fell behind, 47-35, on a Joubert bucket at 15:55 before scoring the next six points, with Milton's two freebies at 12:20 making it a six-point game. The Wildcats trailed by no more than 10 points until the final 5:58, as Becker pulled away with a game-ending 12-2 run.

The Wildcats head to Southern Vermont College on Saturday for a 1 p.m. NECC contest.