NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's basketball team used a late second-half surge to pull away for a 61-46 victory over Elms College on Thursday night at the Yarnall Athletic Center.
The Mariners (13-7 overall, 10-3 NECC) got contributions from all five seniors on Senior Night, but it was sophomore Kaylee Cerruto who provided the spark in the second half. After playing only three minutes in the first half before picking up two quick fouls, Cerruto went off for 15 points in the second half to lead all scorers. Senior Alix O'Neil added 12 points and six rebounds while junior Bianca Young chipped in with 10 points and nine boards.
Ellen Donohue and Katie Condon each netted 11 points to lead the Blazers (8-14 overall, 6-7 NECC). Erika Murphy was a force on the glass, finishing with a game-high 20 rebounds to go with six points.
Neither team led by more than five points in a closely-contested first half. The stanza featured seven ties and seven lead changes, with Elms going in front just before the break on an offensive rebound and put-back by Murphy to take a 27-26 lead. Taylor Darby added a jumper to extend the lead to 29-26 heading into the intermission.
O'Neil and Donohue each scored eight points in the first half to lead their respective teams. Murphy pulled down 12 rebounds and scored all six of her points in the frame.
A lay-up by Nicolette Martin on the Blazers' opening possession of the second half gave them their largest lead of the day at 31-26. Cerruto, however, made up for a scoreless first half by pouring in Mitchell's first eight points of the second stanza. Her second three-pointer of the night put Mitchell back on top 34-33 just over four minutes into the half.
The lead changed hands four more times before the Mariners pulled away with a late run. Freshman Nina Giansanti got things started with a pair of free throws to put Mitchell up by four, and the Mariners scored on their next three possessions to expand the lead to double digits. Young capped the 8-0 run with a jumper with 4:34 to play that put Mitchell up 53-43 with 4:34 to go.
The Mariners closed out the game by going 8-for-10 from the free throw line in the final 1:06. Mitchell went 12-for-14 from the charity stripe in the contest while Elms went 2-for-3. The Blazers owned a 46-38 edge on the glass for the game but committed 24 turnovers to Mitchell's 10.
Prior to the game the Mariners honored their senior class, which included O'Neil, Allison Peck, Brittany Smyth, Marjorie Oliveira and Kailee Hyde. All five players got the starting nod and found the scoring column. Smyth buried a pair of three-pointers for six points while Hyde finished with four points, two rebounds and a block. Peck had three points but handed out a game-high six assists, and Oliveira contributed five points, three rebounds and a pair of steals.
The win moved Mitchell into a tie for second place with Lesley University, which lost 55-54 at Daniel Webster College on Thursday night. The team that finishes second in the conference standings will earn a bye for the first round of the 2011 NECC Championship.
Mitchell will next play at Newbury College on Saturday, February 12 at noon.