BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore guard Mary Hyde (Derby, Conn.) recorded a double-double with game highs of 21 points and 11 rebounds as the Saint Joseph (Conn.) women's basketball team held off a late Wentworth rally and defeated the Leopards, 62-58.
Wentworth held the lead early in the first half and took its largest lead when a junior forward Morgan Furman (Falmouth, Maine) jumper with 12:25 left made it a 13-6 game. The Blue Jays countered with a 12-0 run over the next 2:08 and led, 18-13, when sophomore Chelsea Alves (Ellington, Conn.) connected on a jumper.
Trailing by five (20-15), sophomore forward Kendra Kerr (Marshfield, Mass.) scored four straight Leopard points to trim the lead to one before a basket by Hyde pushed the lead back to three. Kerr answered with her third basket in a span of 1:07 to cut the lead to one, and, with 6:16 left in the half, junior guard Jordan Biggar (Beverly, Mass.) put the hosts ahead, 23-22.
Leading by one (25-24), Wentworth scored the final six points of the half and took a 31-24 lead into the locker room. The Leopards held the Blue Jays to 32.3 percent shooting from the floor – including just 1-of-12 from behind the arc – over the first 20:00.
Saint Joseph opened the second half on an 8-2 run and took a 34-33 lead on a basket from sophomore guard Devon Diliberto (Waterbury, Conn.). A Conway three pointer gave Wentworth a 36-34 lead, but the Blue Jays would go on a 12-0 run to take a 46-36 lead when Alves hit a layup with 10:34 to play.
A Hyde layup with 6:56 left gave the Blue Jays a 52-42 advantage, but the Leopards would cut the lead to four (58-54) with 2:33 left on a sophomore forward Ashley Stowe (Voluntown, Conn.) layup. Hyde and Biggar then traded baskets making it a 58-54 game with 1:19 remaining.
One of two free throws by freshman guard Claire Consonni (Bristol, Conn.) upped the lead to five, however, Kerr answered with a layup with 21 seconds left, trimming the lead to three. A Blue Jay turnover would lead to Conway making two free throws, trimming the margin to one with 15.1 seconds left. Diliberto hit two free throws with 13 ticks left and with a chance to tie the game the Leopards committed a turnover.
With five seconds left, Hyde missed the first free throw and appeared to miss the second, but a lane violation gave her a second chance, which she hit to seal the win for the Blue Jays.
Diliberto added 12 points and four assists, while freshman forward Heather Framski (Prospect, Conn.) added nine points, six rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
Conway paced the Leopards with 19 points to go along with three assists. Kerr added 18 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals, while Biggar had 10 points and eight rebounds. Stowe finished the game with nine points and six rebounds. The Leopards outrebounded the Blue Jays by a 46-39 margin.
Saint Joseph closes out first semester play with two straight wins and a 6-2 record. The Blue Jays are back in action on January 4 when they host Elms. Wentworth falls to 0-7 and closes out first semester play on Saturday at Norwich.
