Hot-Shooting Leopards Remain Unbeaten in League Play

BOSTON, Mass. — Freshman guard Ashley Conway (Danvers, Mass.) poured in a career-high 19 points, including going 5-for-8 from behind the three-point arc, as the Wentworth women's basketball team outscored Western new England, 49-27, over the game's final 20:00 to take a 63-47 win and remain unbeaten in The Commonwealth Coast Conference play.

A slow-going start for both teams saw the visiting Golden Bears lead just 3-2 after just over four minutes of action. However, the Leopards, fueled by a pair of three pointers from Conway, went on an 8-0 run and took a 10-3 lead with 11:11 remaining in the half.


Western new England outscored Wentworth by a 17-4 margin over the final 11-plus minutes, including without a field goal for the final 7:08, and led by six (20-14) at the break. Over the course of the first half the Golden Bears held the Leopards to 23.8 percent from the floor.


A basket on the first possession of the second half by senior forward Caitlin Powers (Scotia, N.Y.) increased the lead to 22-14, but Wentworth answered with a 17-2 run over the next 4:40 and led, 31-24, when Conway buried a three with 14:34 remaining. A three pointer from junior guard Loren Stock (Rocky Hill, Conn.) cut the lead to four but that would be as close as WNEC would get, as seven quick points by Wentworth raised the lead to 11.


In addition to Conway's 19 points, three other players hit double digits for Wentworth. Senior guard Michele Fauci (Boxford, Mass.) scored all of her 13 points in the final 20:00 to go along with four assists and four steals. Freshman forward Morgan Furman (Falmouth, Maine) and senior forward Jessie Coffey (Wakefield, R.I. each scored 10 points, with Furman adding six rebounds and four steals. In the second half, Wentworth shot 51.9 prcent (14-for-27), while WNEC was held to 32.3 percent (10-for-31).


Stock led the Golden Bears, who had their seven-game win streak snapped, with nine points, while junior guard Taryn Belowsky (New Haven, Conn.) added eight.


With the win Wentworth improves to 8-8 overall and 4-0 in conference play, while the Golden Bears fall to 10-4 (3-1). Both teams are on the road Saturday. Wentworth is at Endicott, while Western New England is at Salve Regina.