MOUNT IDA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, January 18, 2018
Athletic Center, Newton, Mass.
FINAL: MOUNT IDA 76, ANNA MARIA 68
NEWTON, Mass. -- Seniors Jaime Moscato (Taunton, Mass.) and Breanna Muir (Wareham, Mass.) each scored 14 points as all five Mount Ida starters reached double digits in the scoring column en route to a 76-68 Great Northeast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory over Anna Maria Thursday evening at the Athletic Center.
The host Mustangs (9-6, 2-4 GNAC) overcame a 10-point first quarter deficit by outscoring the visiting Amcats (1-14, 0-6 GNAC) by a 31-15 margin in the second stanza (including a 13-3 run over the final 2:48 of the half) to take a 43-32 advantage at the break Mount Ida used an 11-5 spurt in the first 2:31 after intermission to extend its edge to 17 (54-37) on a pair of Muir free throws, but Anna Maria answered with a 15-5 run over its own over the next five-plus minutes to creep back to within seven (59-52) on a three-pointer by senior Maritza Gustave (Fall River, Mass.).
The Mustangs took a 10-point lead (62-52) into the final frame, but the Amcats clawed back to within four on a lay-in by sophomore Hailey Moore (Worcester, Mass.) that capped a 7-1 run to open the quarter. Moscato restored the hosts' double-digit lead with a lay-in that came with 4:47 remaining for a 71-61 Mount Ida advantage, and after Anna Maria closed back to a two-possession margin (71-65) on Moore's lay-in 46 seconds later, senior Imani Bumpus (Dedham, Mass.) knocked down a three-pointer with 2:18 to play that helped seal the hosts' triumph.
Moscato grabbed seven rebounds and recorded three steals in the win for the Mustangs, who received a pair of assists and two three-pointers from Muir. Senior Patricia Liotta (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) and sophomore Valerie Martin (Derry, N.H.) scored 13 points each for the winners, as Martin also grabbed six boards and recorded four assists on the night. Bumpus rounded out the quintet in double figures with 11 points, six rebounds and three assists for Mount Ida, as she and Liotta combined for six of the hosts' 10 three-pointers in the contest. Sophomore Jessica Cyr (Ashford, Conn.) chipped in with eight points, four rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals for the Mustangs, who shot 41 percent (23-56) from the floor overall and held a 20-6 scoring advantage at the foul line for the evening.
Senior Kayla Odegaard (Milton, Mass.) led all scorers with 15 points (all coming on five three-pointers) in the setback for Anna Maria, which received 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists from senior Kristina Russo (South Windsor, Conn.). Junior Shannon Hofmiller (Oxford, Conn.) added 12 points, nine boards, four assists and a pair of steals for the Amcats, who received 12 points, seven caroms and four blocks from Moore. Freshman Franchesca Hammond (Worcesrter, Mass.) scored eight points, grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and dished out four assists for the visitors, who also collected five points and seven boards from Gustave. Anna Maria shot 34 percent (26-76) from the field overall and also canned 10 from behind the arc on the night, as the Amcats held a 51-39 rebounding advantage and converted 22 offensive rebounds into 20 second chance points.
Mount Ida heads to Nashua, N.H. on Tuesday evening to take on Rivier in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference clash that tips-off at 7:00 p.m., while Anna Maria travels to Standish, Maine on Saturday afternoon to square off with Saint Joseph's (Maine) in a GNAC outing beginning at 1:00 p.m.