Wentworth Holds off Emerson, 52-47

BOSTON, Mass. – Senior forward Kirsten Vallone (Avon, N.Y.) scored 13 points, grabbed 18 rebounds, and blocked three shots to help pace the Wentworth women's basketball team to its second straight win to open the 2010-2011 season as the Leopards held off crosstown rival Emerson, 52-47.

Wentworth led from start to finish, opening the game with five straight points from sophomore Jordan Biggar (Beverly, Mass.) and keeping the Lions off the board for the first 4:02.  The Leopards led by six with just under 13 minutes left before Emerson got one of two free throws from senior guard Kathy Andrade (Hull, Mass.) and a three pointer from sophomore forward Olivia DiNucci (Pittsburgh, Pa.) to cut the lead to two.  Wentworth responded with a three-point play from junior guard Megan Pennock (Littleton, N.H.) and a layup from Vallone to push the lead to seven.  The hosts led, 27-19, at the break after holding Emerson to 21.4 percent shooting from the floor.

The Black & Gold extended their lead to as many as 14 with 8:30 remaining before Emerson began to make a run, scoring nine of the next 11 points to trim the lead to seven with 6:30 left.  DiNucci had four of the Lions' nine points.

After Biggar hit two free throws to make it a nine-point game with 5:32 left, the visitors crept back in, cutting the lead to three with 1:05 remaining.  That was as close as Emerson would come as Wentworth six five of nine free throws in a span of 42 seconds to make it a seven-point game.  Despite being held without a field goal over the final 7:27, Wentworth held on for the five-point win.

Biggar added 13 points of her own to go along with three steals, while Pennock had 10 points, eight rebounds, and three assists.  Sophomore forward Morgan Furman (Falmouth, Maine) added nine points in the win.  The Leopards held Emerson to 23.2 percent shooting from the floor.

The Lions were led by DiNucci and sophomore guard Shannon Norton (Middletown, N.J.), who each scored 10 points.  Norton grabbed eight rebounds, while senior guard Andrade had 12 caroms.

Wentworth improves to 2-0 and hosts Norwich on Saturday at 1:00.  That same day, Emerson (1-1) hosts Clark as a part of the Emerson College Tip-Off Tournament.