Springfield, Mass. – November 5, 2021 – Competing in Blake Arena for the first time in 616 days, the Springfield College women's basketball team raced out to a 21-2 lead and never looked back as it cruised to a 73-38 win over RPI on Friday night in Blake Arena.
Springfield claims their first win of the 2021-22 season, while RPI drops to 0-1. Springfield outrebounded the Engineers, 41-27, while shooting 51% from the field, and assisted on 27 of the 32 made baskets.
Sidney Wentland (Elk River, Minn.) led the Pride as the graduate student debuted with a team-high 17 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Sam Hourihan (Bridgewater, Mass.) put up 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting to go along with nine boards, and four assists. Grace Dzindolet (Holliston, Mass.) energized the Pride with 12 points and three steals in the victory.
The Pride opened up the game with the first seven points, capped off by a triple from Hourihan at a 8:40 mark and would push their lead to 21-2 with 2:58 remaining in the first quarter following an inside finish from Angela Czeremcha (West Springfield, Mass.). The visitors would answer with six-straight points to pull within 13, but another bucket from Hourihan allowed the Pride to take a 23-8 into the second quarter.
Springfield's lead ballooned to 38-12 with just over four minutes left in the half on a jumper from Wentland and Stephanie Lyons (Boston, Mass.) canned a mid-range bucket with 17 seconds on the clock as the Pride cruised into the half maintaining a 45-19 lead.
The hosts maintained the pressure to start the second half, opening up the third quarter on a 14-2 surge that was capped off by a finish in transition by Dzindolet at the 3:11 mark, which made it a 59-21. The Engineers would knock down a triple from Lolo Reynolds to make the score 59-24, however the Pride would respond with a three of their own on the next possession as Riley Robinson (Adams, Mass.) would can one from long distance off the skip pass from Dzindolet. After a pair of free throws from Marley Mueller, the Pride would head to the final quarter with a 62-26 lead.
In the final ten minutes, RPI would outscore Springfield 12-11, however the early lead the Pride managed to put together allowed for Springfield to take the convincing opening night victory.
Springfield will travel to crosstown rival Western New England on Tuesday, November 9.
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