Women’s Basketball Edges Salve Regina 45-42 to Earn First CCC Victory

Women’s Basketball Edges Salve Regina 45-42 to Earn First CCC Victory

MILTON, Mass.- The Curry College women's basketball team claimed its first CCC victory with a 45-42 triumph over Salve Regina University on Tuesday night at the Katz Gymnasium. With the win, the Colonels move to 3-8 overall and 1-3 in conference play. The Seahawks drop to 2-9 and 0-4 in league action.

Curry jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead in the first quarter off back-to-back threes from Molly Plunkett (Quincy, Mass.) and Nicole Rice (Woburn, Mass.). The Colonels would see their lead balloon to nine at the 3:27 mark of the first stanza when Emily Irwin (Billerica, Mass.) converted a layup to make the score 12-3. The Seahawks went on a mini 4-0 run at the end of the quarter to pull within five at 12-7.

After a Plunkett three to open the period that stretched the lead to eight with eight minutes to go in the half Salve Regina began to chip at the lead. A three by Torie Scorpio (Cranston, R.I.) at the 2:31 mark of the second quarter pulled the Seahawks to within two at 17-15. They would tie and take the lead on two free throws by Ally Esielionis (Shirley, Mass.). After a converted free throw by Kerri Beland (Attleboro, Mass.) to put them by two at 20-18, Paige Senatore (Ayer, Mass.) would score with 10 seconds to go to knot the game at 20 going into the locker room at the half.

The second half began as a tightly contested battle as neither team could separate themselves by more than two points before the 2:44 mark of the third quarter. Jillian Woodward (Orono, Maine) scored on a layup to put the Seahawks up by three (31-28). Esielionis helped grow the lead to five with a made jump shot with 1:23 to go.

But Curry would respond. With the five point deficit the Colonels embarked on a 5-0 run to tie the contest at 33 going into the fourth quarter.

The teams would trade the lead seven times in the final stanza. Following a Scorpio layup to put the Seahawks up by three Curry with 3:15 remaining in regulation, a Plunkett layup and free throw by Rice would knot the game up once again.

Plunkett converted one-of-two free throws to give the Colonels a 41-40 lead with 17 seconds to go. Scorpio would then go to the line and put home two shots to shift the lead back to Salve Regina.

With just four seconds to go, Irwin made a layup to give Curry the one point advantage. Irwin would go on to sink two free throws in the latter stages of the quarter to give the Colonels the 45-42 victory.

Curry shot 32% from the field for the contest while Salve Regina recorded a 25.9 shooting percentage in the contest. The Colonels also had the edge in points in the paint.

Curry was led by Irwin who posted a game-high 22 points and 10 steals. The sophomore guard also tallied seven rebounds. Plunkett joined Irwin as the other Colonel in double figures with 11 points. She put up a double-double of her own, adding 11 rebounds.

Scorpio shot 4-of-9 from the field, including 3-of-6 from the charity stripe to lead the Seahawks with 12 points. Esielionis and Woodward added eight points apiece while Beland tallied seven in the loss.

Curry begins a two-game road trip on Thursday as they will head to Nichols for a 7:30 tip. Salve Regina will host Eastern Nazarene on Thursday in a 5:00 p.m. start.