BOSTON, Mass. – Wentworth women's basketball seniors Michelle McCloskey (Madison, Conn.) and Francesca Matira (Ledyard, Conn.) put up career-high numbers in a 73-57setback with Curry College on Saturday afternoon inside Tansey Gymnasium.
Prior to tip-off, the Wentworth community recognized McCloskey and Matira for their leadership and dedication to the program over the past four years. McCloskey bucketed a career-high 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor, and led the team in rebounds with seven. Matira ran a solid stat line of five points, four rebounds, and a career-high six assists, while three of those assists created three-point plays for the Leopards.
The Leopards got off to a hot and effective start, shooting 50% from the floor and from the line, as McCloskey led the effort with six points for an 11-6 lead. Back-to-back three-pointers from the Colonels quickly turned the lead over to Curry, who built a 19-13 advantage with just under two minutes to go following a Molly Plunkett (Quincy, Mass.) layup. Curry kept the pedal to the floor in the second stanza, holding the Leopards to just 10 points while scoring 21 of their own, as a three-pointer from Sam Bamford (Easton, Mass.) gave the visitors a double-digit lead, 35-25.
Sophomore Erin Morton (Norway, Maine) and classmate Stephanie Mini (Topsfield, Mass.) combined for 12 points in the third quarter - which proved to be Wentworth's best shooting stanza – but Curry matched all 19 of the Leopards' points throughout the period. Curry held on to its 10+ gap as the final buzzer sounded, led by six points in the last ten minutes from senior Emily Irwin (Billerica, Mass.).
Morton also booked a team-high 12 points and added six rebounds with five assists, while junior Emily Magasic (West Milford, N.J.) and Mini each bucketed eight points. Sophomore Ilyssa Creamer (Pittsfield, Mass.) came off the bench to score six points with a career-high five boards.
Four of five starters reached double figures for the Colonels led by a game-high 21 points from Irwin. Plunkett contributed with 18 points, Peyton Perine (Fairfax, Va.) registered 12, and Amanda Leal (Tyngsboro, Mass.) rounded out Curry's top scoring with 10 points. Irwin also led the team on the glass with seven rebounds and dished out seven assists.
The Leopards will host the University of New England on Wednesday for its final game inside Tansey Gymnasium, with tip-off slated for 5:30 PM.
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