Springfield, Mass. - February 5, 2022 - The Springfield College women's basketball program came back from an 11-point first half deficit to take a 61-56 victory over WPI in New England Women's and Men's Atheltic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Saturday afternoon in front of a roaring Blake Arena crowd.

Springfield, who ranked No. 14 in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division III National Coaches Poll, picked up its 11th home win and improves to 18-2 with a 4-2 record in conference play. WPI sits 16-3 on the season with a 4-2 NEWMAC record. Springfield shot 41.4% from the field on 24-of-58 shooting. The Pride held the advantage on the glass over WPI, 42-36, and tallied 17 assists and only eight turnovers in the contest.

Sidney Wentland (Elk River, Minn.) did it all for Springfield as the graduate student totaled 20 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, and four blocks in 38 minutes of action. Grace Dzindolet (Holliston, Mass.) scored 12 points to go along with six rebounds and six assists. Rachel Vinton (Rutland, Mass.) and Angela Czeremcha (West Springfield, Mass.) each pitched in 11 points, while Stephanie Lyons (Boston, Mass.) was sensational defensively in the pivotal win. 

Melanie Presseau led WPI with 15 points, while Kara O'Neil added 11.  

The Pride opened up the game with a 7-0 lead at 7:45 as Dzindolet accounted for five of the Pride's first seven points. The visitors stormed back to tie the game at 8-8 after a Melissa Presseau triple at the 4:58 mark. The three from Presseau sparked an 11-2 run for WPI that carried the Engineers to a 19-10 lead heading into the second quarter. After being down 11 points at 9:41, Springfield used an 11-2 run to bring the game to 23-21 with 5:23 to play in the half as Wentland began to score in the paint with a variety of moves. At 2:24, WPI went up 31-27 as Emily Raynowska hit one-of-two from the line. Springfield added a pair of baskets to end the half including a tough inside bucket from Amanda Carr (West Haven, Conn.) with 43 seconds left to tie the game at 31-31. 

In the third quarter, no team took a lead greater than four as both teams dug in defensively, limiting each other to under 33% shooting for the quarter. With 1:05 to go, Springfield went up three as Czeremcha hit a double pump turnaround jumper in the short corner to give Springfield the 42-39 lead. The Engineers received some offense right before the quarter ended as Alex Scariati walked into a three with just three seconds left to give WPI a slight 43-42 lead before the final stanza.

Springfield and WPI continued to battle for the lead throughout the fourth quarter until about the 3:30 mark as Czeremcha and Wentland hit critical jumpers to give Springfield a 56-50 lead with 1:43 to go. Springfield's lead go up to 59-51 with 45 seconds remaining and the Pride dug in defensively came out with a 61-56 win over the Engineers. 

Springfield will now head to No. 25 Smith College for a nationally-ranked matchup on Wednesday, February 9.