WESTON, Mass. – Despite holding Regis to just 27 percent shooting from the floor, the Wentworth women's basketball team saw its season come to a close with a 50-46 loss in the quarterfinal round of the 2010 The Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament.
The visiting Leopards opened the game with a three pointer from Michelle Fauci (Boxford, Mass.), and after the Pride countered with a three of their own from Meagan Tobin (Quincy, Mass.), Wentworth took a 5-3 lead on a basket from junior forward Kirsten Vallone (Avon, N.Y.).
A three pointer from Caitlin Luquet (Walnut Creek, Calif.) gave Regis a 6-5 lead with 13:59 left in the half, a lead the Pride would not relinquish for the remainder of the half and would take a seven-point lead at the break.
Regis extended its lead to as much as 10 early in the second half before the Leopards chipped away and eventually tied the game at 33-all on a three-point play from Fauci with 11:50 left in the contest. The Leopards took a 36-35 lead on a Jessie Coffey (Wakefield, R.I.) three pointer and added to the lead when Vallone hit one of two free throws. After Jessica Page (Quincy, Mass.) hit two free throws to tie the game, Fauci gave the Leopards a three-point lead with a trifecta of her own.
Four straight points by the Pride have the hosts a 41-40 lead with 4:42 left, a lead that would increase to 48-42 with 1:37 remaining. Coffey and Ashley Conway (Danvers, Mass.) scored consecutive points to trim the lead to a pair with 57 seconds left. Wentworth forced a turnover and had the ball with 25 seconds left. Wentworth's attempt at sending the game into overtime was thwarted when Sarah McNult (Hampstead, N.H.) came up with a steal with seven ticks left and Stephanie Crawford (Rockland, Mass.) hit two free throws to seal the win.
Tobin and Crawford each scored 11 points, with Crawford also adding seven rebounds and four assists. McNult had 10 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks, and three steals. For Wentworth, Fauci closed out her career with a 15-point performance while Conway added 11 points. Vallone blocked six shots on the night.
With the win, Regis (18-8) advances to TCCC Semifinals where the third-seeded Pride will travel to second-seeded Endicott Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Wentworth sees its season end with a 12-14 record.
