Women’s Basketball Collects First Conference Win over Leopards

Women’s Basketball Collects First Conference Win over Leopards

MILTON, Mass. – The Curry College women's basketball team topped the Wentworth Institute of Technology in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) match up on Tuesday evening. After the win, the Colonels sit at 1-2 in the CCC with an overall mark of 3-9. The Leopards league record moves to 0-4 as they even up at 6-6 on the season as a whole.

As the contest tipped off, Kayla Kelley (Boston, Mass.) sank a three-pointer on the opening possession to give the Leopards a 3-0 advantage. The lead would hold until Kathryn Dunn (Hanson, Mass.) sank a triple of her own to knot the score at 5-all. After tying the score once again at 7-7, the Colonels put together a 10-3 run, but a buzzer-beater three from Erin Morton (Norway, Maine) stopped the bleeding for Wentworth and cut Curry's lead to just 17-13 as the teams headed into the first break.

Leading since before the three-minute mark in the first quarter, the Colonels continued to build on their lead in the second stanza. Threes by Dunn, Kaitlynn Smith (Hull, Mass.), and Katie Smith (East Bridgewater, Mass.) brought the score to 28-20 with 4:46 to play in the half. The Leopards responded, however, scoring six unanswered points before eventually tying the score at 31 to enter halftime.

Despite failing to hold onto their lead as the first half concluded, the Colonels shot out of the gates, regaining their lead in the third frame thanks to another triple from Dunn. The teams remained close, though. After the lead grew to five at 41-36 following a Kat. Smith layup, the visitors refused to let Curry pull away, as the foes started the fourth quarter with the scoreboard showing 45-42, in favor of the hosts.

For the third consecutive quarter, the Colonels scored first with a triple, this one coming from Kai. Smith, before a jumper by Gina Coote (Dedham, Mass.) brought the Curry edge back to five. Deangeliz Urena (Methuen, Mass.) kept the Leopards close, scoring each of her team's next six points, but a balanced effort kept Curry in front, as points from four different players brought the score to 59-51 with 1:25 remaining in regulation. Wentworth fought until the very end, cutting the deficit down to just four within the final minute, but the hosts remained determined and secured their first CCC victory of the season by a score of 63-55.

For the fourth consecutive game, Dunn, the CCC rookie-of-the-week, led the Colonels in points, this time accompanied by Kat. Smith, as both players turned in 13 points. Dunn also contributed three assists in the winning effort. Coote nabbed her first double-double of the season, pitching in season-highs in points (11) and rebounds (14, game-high, ties career-high). The Leopards boasted four players with double-digit points in Urena (10), Molley Duclos (Greenfield, Mass., 12), Kelley (12), and Erin Morton (14). Duclos also turned in a double-double, thanks to 10 boards, while Isabella Perez (Homestead, Fla.) topped the team in assists, with four helpers off the bench.

Both teams will stay in-conference for their next games on Thursday evening. The Colonels will stay home to host the University of New England, while the Leopards can also look forward to a home game, theirs versus the Salve Regina Seahawks. Both games are slated to tip off at 5:30 p.m.

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