Women's Basketball Topples First-Place Endicott, 55-53, Handing the Gulls Their First CCC Loss

Women's Basketball Topples First-Place Endicott, 55-53, Handing the Gulls Their First CCC Loss
MILTON, Mass. – Down 52-48 with 1:05 left in regulation, Curry College scored seven of the game’s final eight points to overcome Endicott College, 55-53, in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women’s basketball action Saturday afternoon in Milton. The Colonels improve to 7-6 overall and 3-3 in conference play, while the Gulls fall to 9-4 overall and 5-1 in CCC action.

Curry’s biggest lead of the first period (23-17) came after freshman Shannon Griffith (West Hartford, Conn.) completed a three-point play with 3:41 remaining in the first period. Endicott freshman Kelsey Guddy (Madison, Conn.) scored the next two baskets to trim the lead to two, but Griffith answered with a jumper to give the Colonels a 25-21 edge heading into the break.

Curry outscored the Gulls 10-2 over the first four minutes of the second frame to take its largest lead of the game (33-23). Sophomore Jeanette Fallon (Nashua, N.H.) scored six of the Colonels points during the run. Endicott chipped away and took its first lead of the second half (44-43) after junior Samantha Crough (Cohasset, Mass.) hit a layup with 6:35 on the clock. Later, Cuddy split a pair from the charity stripe to give the Gulls their 52-48 lead with 1:05 on the clock.

Sophomore Kylie Beltz (Pequot Lakes, Minn.) scored the next five points, converting a layup and sinking a shot from beyond the arc to reclaim the lead (53-52) with 42 seconds left. Senior Carolyn Houston (Melrose, N.Y.) split a pair of free throws with 16 seconds remaining. Curry sent Cuddy to line with eight seconds left, but she was only able to sink one of two. Houston returned to the charity striped and split another pair, but it was enough to secure the 55-53 victory.

Fallon led all scorers with 16 points, while also pulling down seven boards. Sophomore Samantha Corcoran (Hampton, N.H.) chipped in with 13 points and recorded a game-high nine rebounds. Beltz added 11 points.

Sophomore Carley Stauffer (Chester, Vt.) scored a team-high 12 points, knocking down four three-pointers. Cuddy contributed 11 points. Crough and senior Jen McBrien (Medfield, Mass.) pulled down eight rebounds apiece.

Both teams travel next Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in CCC action, as the Colonels visit Western New England, while Endicott matches up against Gordon.