WESTON, Mass. – Colby College overcame an 11-point second half deficit behind a game-high 19 points from Diana Manduca (Portland, Maine) as the Mules defeated host Regis College, 57-52, in non-conference women's basketball action in Weston, Mass. Colby improves to 5-6 this season, while Regis falls to 5-4.
Both teams traded baskets before back-to-back buckets from Kim Daniels (Jaffrey, N.H.) and Emilee Marro (Bedford, N.H.) gave the Pride an early 8-5 lead three minutes into the game. Sabree Rodriguez (Brockton, Mass.) extended the lead to 11-5 on a three, before Colby climbed back into the game on a triple from Diana Manduca (Portland, Maine) and a jumper from Carylanne Wolfington (Hallowell, Maine) that made it a 12-11 game with 13:32 to play.
Monet Lowe (Framingham, Mass.) converted on a layup on the next Regis possession and sparked an 18-3 run for the Pride capped off by a three-ball from Kim Daniels that gave Regis its largest lead of the game at 30-14 with 4:30 to play in the opening stanza. Colby's Jamie Wallace (Piedmont, Calif.) ended the run with a jumper, and following a pair of Claire Ramonas (Portland, Maine) freethrows, the Mules ended the half on a quick 7-0 spurt, including a Wolfington layup with less than three seconds to play, to make it a 32-23 ballgame.
Sabree Rodriguez led the Pride at the break with eight points and five rebounds. Daniels and Ramonas added seven points apiece, while Emilee Marro chipped in six points. The Mules were led by Manduca's eight points and Carylanne Wolfington's six points.
Out of the intermission, Regis kept its lead above seven until back-to-back jumpers from Ramonas and Rodriguez made it a 41-30 game with 13:09 to play. The Mules knifed into the deficit over the next four minutes, going on an 11-0 run and tying it at 41-all after Jen Nale (Belgrade, Maine) converted a three-point play. Jayde Bennett (Lynn, Mass.) scored in the same fashion on the next Colby possession to make it a 44-41 lead and give Colby their first lead since the 18:22 mark of the first half.
Regis responded with baskets from Taylor Bunkley (Carmel, N.Y.) and Janaya Bradley (New Haven, Conn.), sparking a 6-0 run after a pair of Bradley freethrows to make it 47-44 with 5:38 to play. Colby's Wolfington and Regis' Ramonas traded 2-for-2 trips to the charity line to keep it a three point game, but Jayde Bennett knocked down another jumper and Nale buried two more freethrows to give Colby a 50-49 lead with 2:23 remaining.
Both offenses stalled over the next minute and a half before Colby's Diana Manduca dribbled at the top of the key and after a quick move towards the paint, Manduca stepped back and drilled a triple to make it a two possession game at 53-49 with 48 seconds to play. Regis was forced to foul during the final minute and Jen Nale calmly stepped to line and went 4-for-4 down the stretch to keep the Pride at bay and hang onto the 57-52 victory.
Colby outscored the Pride, 34-20 in the second half to overcome an 11-point deficit. The Pride won the rebounding battle, 44-34, but sloppy passing resulted in 18 turnovers and led to 12 Colby steals. Colby turned those in 19 points off turnovers, while the Mules' reserves outscored the Pride's, 23-17.
Regis' Sabree Rodriguez notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, while Claire Ramonas joined her in double-figures with 13 points and a game-high five assists. Emilee Marro chipped in seven points and eight rebounds. Kim Daniels added nine points and seven rebounds.
Manduca knocked down five threes en route to a game high 19 points. Jen Nale came off the bench to score 11 points while going 7-for-7 at the freethrow line. Carylanne Wolfington added eight points and a team-best nine rebounds, while Gabe Donahue (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) added six rebounds and three assists.
The Crimson and Gold return to conference play on Tuesday night as the Pride host Mitchell College in an NECC contest scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Colby opens NESCAC play on Saturday afternoon with a 4:00 p.m. game against Hamilton College.