WATERVILLE, Maine – Trailing by 17 points at the half, the Wentworth women's basketball team held Thomas to 29.2 percent from the floor in the second half and outscored the Terriers, 43-24, to take a 74-72 non-league victory and head into final exams with a 5-3 record.
A back-and-forth start to the game saw five ties and two lead changes as Wentworth battled back from an early five-point deficit and a six-point deficit midway through the half. With the score tied at 25-all with eight minutes left, the host Terriers went on a 23-2 run to take a 48-27 lead with 34 seconds left in the half. Scoring the final four points of the half, Wentworth, which held a 24-11 rebound edge in the first half, trailed, 48-31.
The Leopards chipped away at the lead, using a 15-3 run over the opening 4:27 of the second half and trailed, 51-46, when freshman Kendra Kerr (Marshfield, Mass.) buried a jumper with 15:33 to play. Thomas scored the next five points as senior Mallorie Blankley (Fairfield, Maine) and classmate Kellie Martel (Cambridge, Maine) combined for the offense.
Wentworth trailed by nine (58-49) with 10:16 remaining but Kerr helped the Leopards back in the game, scoring nine points in an 11-1 run and her two free throws with 4:14 remaining gave Wentworth a 62-61 lead. Blankley followed with a basket on the Terriers' next possession, but six straight Wentworth points gave the Leopards the lead for good at 68-63 with 2:40 left.
Thomas cut the lead to one on three separate occasions, including when Blankley hit a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left to make it a 73-72 game. With nine seconds left, junior Meagan Pennock (Littleton, N.H.) hit one of two free throws to push the lead back to a pair. Thomas had a chance to tie at the buzzer, but the shot would hit the backboard.
Kerr posted career highs with 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead four Wentworth players in double digits. Fifteen of Kerr's 19 points came in the second half. Sophomore Ashley Conway (Danvers, Mass.) had 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting, while Pennock and senior Kirsten Vallone (Avon, N.Y.) each had 12 points. Vallone had a game-high 15 rebounds to go along with five assists, two blocks, and three steals. The Leopards held a 52-25 rebound advantage for the game.
For the Terriers, Martel led all scorers with 23 points, which included seven three-pointers, and had five assists. Blankley and senior Ashley Allen (Robbinston, Maine) each added 12 points.
Wentworth is idle until Dec. 19 when the Leopards play St. Vincent's in the Daytona Beach (Fla.) Shootout. Thomas, which dropped its second straight to fall to 2-5, is idle until Jan. 8 when the Terriers travel to Colby.
February 21, 2011
Herrick, Vallone Grab TCCC Honors
February 21, 2011
Vallone, Women's Hoopsters Earn TCCC Honors
February 19, 2011
Leopards Close Out Season With 43-37 Win
February 16, 2011
Wentworth Falls to Colby-Sawyer, 63-47
February 14, 2011
Kerr Named TCCC Rookie of the Week
February 12, 2011
Women's Basketball Falls at Curry, 71-53
February 8, 2011
Kerr Named NEWBA Rookie of the Week
February 8, 2011
Wentworth Falls at Nichols, 69-49
February 5, 2011
Wentworth Snaps Six-Game Losing Streak
February 3, 2011
Nor'Easters Overtake Leopards in Second Half
February 2, 2011
Women's Basketball Team to Enter the PinkZone Saturday
January 29, 2011
Wentworth Falls at Regis, 77-55
January 27, 2011
Women's Basketball Falls at Salve Regina, 59-34
January 22, 2011
Wentworth Falls to Endicott, 61-27
January 19, 2011
Vallone Eclipses 1,000-Point Plateau in Loss at Western New England
January 15, 2011
Wentworth Falls to Roger Willams, 58-49
January 11, 2011
Wentworth Defeats Eastern Nazarene, 56-33
January 8, 2011
Wentworth Downs Gordon in Conference Opener
January 5, 2011
Wentworth Falls in Mariner Classic Final
January 4, 2011
Wentworth Defeats Maine-Fort Kent, 52-44
December 20, 2010
Wentworth Falls to Catholic, 67-54
December 19, 2010
Leopards Fall on First Day of Daytona Beach Shootout, 80-34
December 13, 2010
Kerr Named TCCC Co-Rookie of the Week
December 11, 2010
Wentworth Overtakes Thomas, 74-72
December 4, 2010
Women's Basketball Win Streak Halted at Two
December 1, 2010
Leopards Defeat Pine Manor, 61-56
November 29, 2010
Women's Basketball Holds on for 54-51 Win
November 23, 2010
Suffolk Holds on to Defeat Wentworth, 55-52
November 20, 2010
Women's Basketball Suffers First Loss of Season, 61-59
November 18, 2010
Wentworth Holds off Emerson, 52-47
November 16, 2010
Women's Basketball Opens Season With Win
November 13, 2010
Women's Basketball Picked Seventh in TCCC Poll
June 22, 2010
Rodgerson to be Inducted into UNE Hall of Fame