CASTINE, Maine – Sophomore guard Jordan Biggar (Beverly, Mass.) scored a game-high 16 points while Wentworth's defense held Maine-Fort Kent for 29.1 percent shooting from the floor as the Leopards prevailed, 52-44, in an opening round game of the Marine Holiday Classic.
The Leopards trailed by a pair with 16:06 left in the first half before one of two free throws and a basket from senior forward Kirsten Vallone (Avon, N.Y.) gave Wentworth an 8-7 lead, a lead they would not relinquish. Vallone's three points started a 14-1 run as the Leopards would lead by 11, 19-8, on a sophomore guard Ashley Conway (Danvers, Mass.) basket with 8:35 left.
Maine-Fort Kent closed the gap to three at 21-18 with 2:46 left after a 13-0 run. However, a three-point play by junior guard Megan Pennock (Littleton, N.H.) and basket by Vallone in the waning seconds of the half gave Wentworth a 27-18 cushion at the break.
Building the momentum gained at the end of the first half, the Leopards scored the first six points of the second half to take a 33-18 lead with 16:01 to play. The Bengals trimmed the lead to nine on two occasions, but Wentworth held a 15-point advantage after Biggar had a pair of baskets around a UMFK hoop.
The Bengals pulled within seven with 56 ticks left, but Biggar buried two free throws with 43 seconds left to seal the win.
In addition to her 16 points, Biggar had five rebounds. Vallone added 11 points and eight rebounds, while Conway scored 10 points and had two steals. Junior guard Becca Cowee (Windsor, Conn.) had six steals in the win.
For the Bengals, Megan Land (Salinas, Calif.) had 10 points while Angela Nordsworthy (Presque isle, Maine) and Jenn Colpits (Scarborough, Maine) chipped in with nine and eight points, respectively.
With the win, Wentworth snaps a two-game losing streak and climbs above .500 at 6-5. The Leopards will face host Maine Maritime tomorrow at 4:00 in the championship game. The Mariners downed Elms, 67-33, in the first game. Maine-Fort Kent (1-7) plays Elms at 2:00 in the consolation game.
