NEWPORT, R.I. - Four different Seahawks scored in double figures to lead top-seeded Salve Regina University women's basketball to a 66-44 win over No. 8 Curry College in the opening round of The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) Championships.
All-TCCC point guard Kaitlyn Birrell (Hope, R.I.) scored the game's first basket on a layup at the 17:18 mark. Birrell, who finished with 12 points, later followed with a jumper before Danyel Cousins (Brunswick, Maine) scored the Colonels' first basket at the 15:42 mark. A pair of free throws by Carolyn Houston (Melrose, N.Y.) tied the game at 4-4.
A 3-pointer by Erin Phillips (Morristown, N.J.), broke the game's last tie (6-all) and allowed Salve Regina to outscore the visitors by 10 (21-11) over the next 10 minutes.
A Phillips jumper with 1:11 left in the first half put the Seahawks up by a dozen (34-22), but a steal and a layup by senior guard Joneiha Veiga (Brockton, Mass.) brought the Colonels within 10 at the break (36-26).
Salve Regina (23-3; 13-0 TCCC) used the outside shooting of senior guard Kimberly Horan (Webster, Mass.) to open up the game in the second half. Horan scored all of her 12 points in the second frame on a pair of 3-pointers, two mid-range jumpers and a reverse lay-in.
Lindsay Shorey (Ashland, Mass.) had three successive baskets during a 20-6 run in the first 10 minutes of the second half as Salve Regina built its lead to 24 points (56-32 at 10:52 mark). Shorey was perfect from the floor (6-for-6) to finish with 12 points.
A pair of free throws from freshman forward Marissa Pendergast (Medfield, Mass.) put Salve Regina up by 25 (66-41) before Curry senior forward KellyRose McCarthy (Hull, Mass.) ended the scoring with a 3-pointer in the final minute.
Salve Regina had nearly twice as many rebounds (54-29) as Curry (17-9; 6-7 TCCC) including 22 on the offensive boards. Senior forward Victoria Audet (Broad Brook, Conn.) pulled down a career-high 14 caroms. Phillips led all players with 16 points and registered her eighth double-double of the season with 12 rebounds. (Game recap courtesy of Salve Regina Sports Information)
