MILTON, Mass. – The Curry College women's basketball team built a 23-point second-half lead, then held off a late Wentworth charge to record a 59-50 win in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action in Milton. The Colonels improve to 6-9 overall and 4-4 in CCC action, while the Leopards fall to 1-15 overall and 1-8 in conference play.
Freshman Kylie Beltz (Pequot Lakes, Minn.) scored five of her team's first seven points, as Curry shot out to a 7-0 edge after three minutes of play. The Colonels took their biggest lead of the opening frame (22-11) after freshman Lindsey Dionne (Portland, Conn.) split a pair from the charity stripe at the 3:28 mark. Two minutes later, sophomore Kendra Kerr (Marshfield, Mass.) split a pair of free throws to trim Wentworth's deficit to eight (24-16) heading into intermission.
With 11:14 remaining in the second period, the Colonels took their largest lead of the game (47-24) after freshman Jeanette Fallon (Nashua, N.H.) made a layup. The Leopards immediately responded with a 19-4 run. Junior Jordan Biggar (Beverly, Mass.) capped off the run with a basket at 1:48 that cut the deficit to eight (51-43). After Curry sophomore Ashley Assarian (Chicopee, Mass.) sank a pair from the charity stripe, Biggar hit back-to-back three-pointers to trim the lead to six (55-49) with 46 seconds remaining in regulation. But a Beltz steal and layup five seconds later iced the game for Curry.
Beltz poured in a game-high 21 points. Junior Hailey Rafferty (Worcester, Mass.) recorded a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Fallon chipped in with 10 points.
Kerr led Wentworth with 17 points, while Biggar scored 16 and recorded five steals. Kerr and Biggar also pulled down nine boards apiece.
Both teams' next contests are at 5:30 p.m. at the University of New England. The Colonels take on the Nor'Easters on Monday (Jan. 23), followed by the Leopards on Wednesday (Jan. 25).
(Story Courtesy of Curry College Sports Information)
