Leopards Clinch TCCC Tournament Berth With Win Over Curry

BOSTON, Mass. – Senior forward Jessie Coffey (Wakefield, R.I.) scored 15 points, including going 8-for-8 from the free throw line, while freshman forward Morgan Furman (Falmouth, Maine) added 14 points and eight rebounds as the Wentworth women's basketball team won its third straight game with a 62-53 win over Curry.

The host Leopards took a 10-3 lead with 13:24 left in the opening half on a senior guard Michelle Fauci (Boxford, Mass.) layup before the Colonels outscored Wentworth, 13-5, over the next six minutes to take their only lead of the game at 16-15 on one of two free throws from junior forward Danyel Cousins (Brunswick, Maine).  A basket by Furman and two free throws from junior forward Kirsten Vallone (Avon, N.Y.) gave Wentworth the lead back at 19-16 with 6:10 left, and, after holding a four-point lead with 2:45 to play, would score five of the final seven points of the half to lead by seven (30-23) at the break.

Freshman guard Hailey Rafferty (Worcester, Mass.) cut the lead to 32-27 with 17:55 left before five straight points by Wentworth gave the Leopards a 10-point lead on a pair of Coffey free throws.  Curry would go on a 16-6 spurt over the next 5:07 to tie the game at 43-all on two free throws from freshman guard Julia Scrubb (Stowe, Vt.) with 10:28 left in the contest.  However, an 8-1 Wentworth run, keyed by three pointers from Coffey and Furman, gave Wentworth the lead for good at 51-44.

Vallone added nine points, 12 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and four steals, while senior guard Michelle Moffo (Southington, Conn.) had nine points of her own to go along with 12 rebounds and four steals.  The Colonels were led by junior guard Joneia Veiga (Brockton, Mass.) who had a game-high 20 points, while Scrubb added 11.  Junior forward Cortney Robinson (Brockton, Mass.) had 10 rebounds and seven assists in a losing effort.

With the win Wentworth clinches a berth in the 2010 The Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament and improves to 11-12 overall and 7-4 in conference play.  Curry drops its second straight to stand at 9-14 overall (4-7).  Both teams are in action Wednesday night.  Wentworth is at Colby-Sawyer, while Curry hosts Roger Williams.