CHESTNUT HILL, MA - The Wheelock College women's basketball team led third-place Mitchell College nearly midway through the second half before only trailing by five points with fewer than five minutes remaining in an eventual 48-41 defeat on Saturday in New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) play on Pine Manor College's Brunelli Court. The Wildcats, who were aiming for their first win in six series meetings, fell to 3-13 overall and 2-7 in the league. The Mariners improved to 10-6 and 7-2 thanks to their eighth win in 11 games.
Wheelock received 31 points from its bench, as junior Maya Spratling (Dorchester, MA/Cathedral) collected a game-high 10 points to go along with eight rebounds and three steals. Classmate Kayla Drescher (Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan) added 11 boards - six offensive - eight points and three helpers as a reserve, while senior Joy Holliday (Milford, MA/Milford) had six points. Sophomore Keneisha Milton (Boston, MA/Wayland) added 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals, as the Wildcats held consecutive opponents to fewer than 50 points for the first time since February 2003.
Senior Allison Peck (Colchester, CT/Bacon Academy) and sophomore Jordan Ringwood (New Haven, CT/James Hillhouse) each netted a team-high nine points for Mitchell, as Peck hit three three-pointers and picked up seven steals. Senior Alix O'Neil (New London, CT/New London) totaled seven points and 14 rebounds, and sophomore Kaylee Cerruto (Torrington, CT/Torrington) turned in five assists.
The Mariners scored the first five points before a 6-2 Wheelock run brought it within 7-6 on senior Sharrell Brown's (Brooklyn, NY/Progress) three at 15:57 of the opening half. Mitchell followed with a 12-2 run during a 5:20 span, as Peck canned two threes and Ringwood added four points in that time. The Wildcats later trailed 23-12 before ending the half on an 8-3 run, with four points coming from freshman Randi Davis (Wilmington, MA/Wilmington), to create a 26-20 deficit. Mitchell had 11 steals by intermission, and 11 of its 16 rebounds were offensive, while Wheelock was shooting 41.2 percent to the visitors' 24.1-percent showing.
The Wildcats kept chipping away in the second period, as they scored 12 of the first 17 points to grab their first lead, 32-31, on a Drescher dish to Milton at 12:25. Drescher and Spratling each had four points in the half-opening run. Mitchell tallied the next nine points, with an O'Neil freebie knotting the contest at 12:07 and her jumper 31 seconds later putting her team on top to stay. Three straight Wheelock free throws, including two from Spratling, made it 40-35 at 4:41, but O'Neil scored four straight points in an ensuing 6-0 run. Spratling's jumper with 11 seconds remaining brought her team within seven and produced the final margin.
The Wildcats continue a four-game home stand on Tuesday against NECC counterpart Elms College at 7 p.m.