WORCESTER – Junior Ama Biney (Worcester, MA) totaled a career-high 28 points as the host Engineers forged a 73-40 victory over Rensselaer Saturday in the WPI Thanksgiving Classic opener Saturday afternoon in Harrington Auditorium.

WPI (4-1) opened with a 4-0 run in the first 2:24 of the contest. Junior Kate Godell (Shaftsbury, VT) put the guests in the board with a traditional three-point play at 6:38. The hosts pushed their lead to five only to see RPI (3-2) tie the game at 8-8 thanks to an and-one by sophomore Sam Krumbhaar (Glen Burnie, MD) with 3:32 remaining in the first. Later in the stanza, Sophomore Lakissa Martin (Las Vegas, NV) canned a pair of freebies to give Troy's Engineers the 12-11 advantage.

Biney made it an even 13-13 just over 30 seconds into the second. It took nearly two minutes for another basket, this time by Martin at 7:44, to spark a 7-0 RPI run and force a timeout with 6:18 until the half. Biney hit a layup for the second WPI field goal of the frame at 5:28. Junior Madison Beck (Syracuse, NY) turned the scoreboard in the Crimson and Gray's favor with a pair from the charity stripe as part of an 11-0 run to close out the half.

The Boynton Hillers continued their run with and staked a 23-point lead with 3:20 left in the third. Sophomore Elizabeth Eckhardt (Albany, NY) interrupted with a layup to key a 6-2 RPI rally with less than three minutes remaining in the third. Biney began the fourth with a personal 5-0 run to make it a 30-point ballgame.

Junior Stasha Greenalch (Newington, CT) added 10 points, five assists and five steals as senior Sarah Rogers (Colchester, CT) tied her career-best with eight points. Beck also had eight points to go with eight rebounds for Worcester's Engineers. Junior Maura Buckley (Melrose, MA) chipped in with eight boards as well.

Eckhardt tallied 11 points as Krumbhaar and Martin each contributed six for RPI. On the defensive end, Eckhardt, Martin, junior Shaina Iton (Peekskill, NY) and classmate Kate Goddell (Shaftsbury, VT) each totaled four rebounds.

The WPI Thanksgiving Classic continues tomorrow as RPI takes on Springfield at 2pm and the hosts face Johnson & Wales at 4pm.

Thompson's Double-Double Sends Johnson & Wales past Springfield at WPI Thanksgiving Classic

WORCESTER – Junior Ashley Thompson (Bellingham, MA) scored 30 points and hauled in 12 rebounds to lead Johnson & Wales to a 57-47 triumph over Springfield in the WPI Thanksgiving Classic Saturday afternoon in Harrington Auditorium.

Junior Raquel Pederzani (Coventry, RI) dropped 12 points and handed out five assists as sophomore Ally Mishol (Longmeadow, MA) posted nine points and recorded six rebounds for the Wildcats. Junior Sarah Duryea (Middle Village, NY) also had six helpers while junior Kristen Habbel (Phoenixville, PA) added five assists.

Senior Ava Adamopoulos (Ludlow, MA) led Springfield's balanced attack with 13 points and 14 rebounds to go with nine points from sophomore Chelsea McAllister (Baltimore, VT). Freshman Rachel Menze (West Haven, CT) tallied six points while classmate Taylor Hall (Tolland, CT) pitched in with five points and five rebounds. Senior Lexi Windwer (Milton, MA) doled out four caroms.

Springfield (1-2) faces RPI at 2pm tomorrow and Johnson & Wales (3-1) takes on host WPI at 4pm.