Boston, MA --- Ama Biney (Worcester, MA) and Priscilla Dunphy (Barrington, RI) combined for 28 points as WPI went on the road and defeated Simmons 59-46 in a non-conference women's basketball game played Saturday afternoon. The Engineers, winners of nine straight, move to 11-1 and continue the team's best start in school history while Simmons slips to 3-5 on the year.
As a team the Engineers totaled 15 steals, five coming from Biney, who led WPI with 17 points in addition to five rebounds and an assist, while Dunphy chipped in with 11 points and five rebounds. Yasmeen Luna (North Providence, RI), Stasha Greenalch (Newington, CT) and Lisa Mendez (Yonkers, NY) all contributed six points while Luna handing out a team-best four assists and Madison Beck (Syracuse, NY) hauled in a career and game-high seven rebounds.
First year guard Francesca Corsinetti (Johnston, RI) had 14 points off the bench to lead all Sharks, while sophomore forward Presley Silva (Wilmington, MA) contributed 10 points, five rebounds and four blocks for the hosts. Corsinetti was an impressive 4-of-5 from the three point line, while Silva was 5-6 . The Sharks were able to shoot an impressive 50% (5-of-10) from the three point line as a team, while holding WPI to 10% (1-of-10) from beyond the arc, but that advantage was not enough for the Sharks in the end.
Simmons ended the first quarter by scoring seven unanswered points thanks to a jump shot from Corsinetti and three pointer from Senior guard Gracie Rolfe (Newton, Mass.), followed by a put-back layup by Senior forward Nicole Alberghini (Northborough, MA). The second quarter proved to be the turning point in the game. With five minutes left in the quarter Dunphy made her second straight jump shot to give Engineers a 19-18 lead, which they never relinquished.
WPI opened the third quarter with a 6-0 run, giving them the first double digit lead of the game. At the end of the quarter the Sharks were able to cut the lead down to seven with two Rolfe free throws, but the Crimson and Gray immediately responded with another Dunphy jump shot to end the third quarter up by nine.
The Sharks will be in action again on Tuesday, January 5 when they host Pine Minor at 7pm, while the Engineers travel to Wellesley on Wednesday, January 6 at 7pm to face the Blue in a NEWMAC contest.
Large Portions of Release Courtesy Simmons Sports Information