SPRINGFIELD – The WPI women's basketball team received ten points each from Kara O'Neil (Holden, MA) and Spencer Vinson (Los Angeles, CA) as the Engineers were defeated 63-51 by Springfield in NEWMAC action Wednesday evening.
With the victory, the Pride improves to 16-6 on the season and remains unbeaten in league play at 7-0, while the Crimson and Gray us now 12-10 on the year and 2-5 in the NEWMAC.
Vinson connected on 5-of-10 from the floor and added six boards, while O'Neil connected on 4-of-9. Alex Scariati (Scotch Plains, NJ) chipped in with nine points and six rebounds, while McKenna Finken (Simsbury, CT) added eight points. Maddie Blake (Bedford, NH) contributed a game-best four assists to go along with six rebounds.
The Pride were led by a double double of a game-best 15 points and 11 rebounds from Sam Hourihan (Bridgewater, MA). Alex Goslin (South Winsor, CT) recorded a double double of her own with 14 points and 10 boards, while Taylor Hall (Tolland, CT) finished the game with nine points and three boards.
Springfield used an 8-0 run in the first quarter to open up a 14-5 lead with just under three to play in the flame. The Engineers countered with a run of their own, 10-3, to close the quarter and trail by two, 17-15, after one. Vinson and Scariati tallied four points apiece on the spurt.
Both teams struggled offensively in the second quarter as each team tallied just eight points and the game went to the half with the Pride leading 25-23.
WPI pulled within one, on a pair of occasions in the first part of the third quarter, but Springfield pushed the lead to eight, 38-30, on an Emily Jacques (Auburn, MA) jumper with just over two minutes on the clock. WPI closed the gap to five (40-35) on an O'Neil three to close the third quarter.
An O'Neil jumper with 7:00 minutes left on the clock pulled the Engineers within two, 44-42, but Springfield quickly extended the lead back to seven on a three point play from Hall with 5:54 on the clock.
WPI cut the deficit back to three, 50-47, on a Vinson layup with three on the clock, but six straight by the Pride pushed the lead to nine with 1:49 on the clock. The Engineers would get no closer than seven in the final 1:49 as WPI was forced to foul and the Pride went 7-for-8 from the line.
The Engineers connecting on 31% of their offerings (18-57) and 18% from behind the arc (4-22), while the Pride shot 37% from the field (19-51) and 25% (4-16) from behind the arc.
Both teams resume NEWMAC action on Saturday at 1pm with the Engineers hosting Springfield traveling to MIT.