BOSTON, Mass. – The Nichols College women's basketball team fell to the Wentworth Institute of Technology, 72-71, on Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action on Saturday afternoon in Boston, Mass.
 
The Bison drop to 3-10 overall and 1-6 in conference games, while the Leopards improve to 2-12 and 1-6 in league games. Nichols returns to action on Tuesday night when they travel to Eastern Nazarene College for a 5:30 p.m. matchup.
 
Senior Allison Cerrato scored a career-high 20 points to go with nine rebounds to lead the Bison. Sophomore Jessica Larsh returned to game action and scored 11 points to go with seven rebounds and two assists, while senior Brooke Packard added 10 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Beth Laing scored nine points, while junior Mekaela Fithian-Giantonio pulled in a game-high 11 rebounds to go with eight points, five assists, and two steals.
 
Wentworth was led by 20 points and four rebounds off the bench from freshman Tan'eja Drayton. Classmate Erin Morton added 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals, while senior Haley Sabino and sophomore Sam McGibbon had 11 points apiece.
 
Back-to-back layups from Allison Cerrato and Brooke Packard gave the Bison their first lead of the game at 6-5, and a triple from Jessica Larsh extended the advantage to 13-10 with 4:44 remaining in the quarter. Nichols used an 8-4 run the rest of the quarter, including back-to-back triples from Packard, to take a 21-14 lead after one period of action.
 
After Wentworth sophomore Samantha Madden beat the buzzer to end the first quarter, Wentworth carried the momentum into the second frame, using an 8-0 run to take the lead back at 22-21. Freshman Desiree Riveracanned a jumper to put the Bison back in front, but Wentworth's Morton buried a jumper from the baseline to put the Leopards ahead, 24-23 with 7:20 remaining.
 
Wentworth took a 28-25 lead following a jumper from Tan'eja Drayton, and this time the Bison answered with a run of their own - scoring seven-straight points to take a 32-28 lead and force a Leopards timeout. Freshman Shannon St. Lawrence netted five points during the run, with Fithian-Giantonio netting the other bucket.
 
The two teams traded baskets over the final 2:52, and a pair of free throws from Beth Laing put the Bison in front 42-38 at the half.
 
A jumper from freshman Isabella Nerney staked the Bison to a 45-38 lead early in the third quarter, but a three-pointer from Morton made it a 47-46 game with 5:52 remaining in the period. Laing answered with a triple of her own, and a pair of free throws from Fithian-Giantonio kept the visitors in front 52-49 with just over three minutes to play.
 
Wentworth eventually tied the game on a three-pointer from Sam McGibbon, and after a pair of free throws from Cerrato put the Bison back in front, the Leopards scored the final three points of the quarter to take a 55-54 lead into the fourth period.
 
Larsh opened the fourth quarter with a three-point play to put Nichols back in front, and four-straight points from Fithian-Giantonio kept the Bison in front 61-57 with 7:29 remaining. Wentworth answered with a 9-2 run to take a 68-62 lead, and Larsh responded with a 5-2 run of her own to trim the deficit to 70-67 with 2:24 remaining.
 
Two Cerrato free throws made it a 70-69 game, but senior Haley Sabino answered with a jumper for Wentworth to put the Leopards ahead 72-69 with 1:31 remaining. Allison Cerrato scored inside to pull the Bison to 72-71, and after Nichols fouled to put Sabino on the line with 2.2 seconds remaining, she missed both freebies, but the Bison could not get a shot off and the Leopards pulled out the one-point win.
 
Nichols shot 40.6% (26-of-64) from the field, 37.5% (6-of-16) from beyond the arc, and 86.7% (13-of-15) at the charity stripe in the setback. Wentworth knocked down 40% (26-of-65) of its shots, 38.1% (8-of-21) of its threes, and 46.2% (12-of-26) of its free throws. The Bison held a 47-39 advantage in rebounding, while turnovers were nearly even with the Bison committing 18 compared to 17 for the home team.
 
All-Time Series
Saturday marked the 31st meeting between the two teams and Nichols holds a 16-15 advantage in the series. Wentworth snapped a three-game losing streak to the Bison with the victory.