BOSTON, Mass. - Junior Jeanette Fallon (Nashua, N.H.) scored 26 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, blocked three shots and had two assists as the Curry College women's basketball team erased an 11-point halftime deficit and prevailed, 68-64, in double overtime over Wentworth Institute of Technology in Commonwealth Coast Conference action played at Tansey Gymnasium.
With the win the Colonels up their record to 4-3 overall and even their CCC mark at 1-1 while the Leopards dropped their third straight to fall to 2-4 (0-2).
The Leopards' Rachael Camara (Fall River, Mass.) knocked down two early three-pointers and scored eight points in the first six minutes to give Wentworth a 12-6 lead at the 14:30 mark. Wentworth would keep the defensive pressure on and efficient rebounding lead to two corner jumpers made by Ashley Stowe (Charlestown, R.I.), with the second giving Wentworth a 16-8 lead with 12:00 left in the half.
Camara hit her third shot from behind the arc of the opening frame with 7:15 left and extended the Leopard's lead to 25-18. Wentworth took advantage of its opportunities at the free throw line and 14 first half free throws. The Black & Gold held a 35-26 edge at half.
The Colonels stormed out to a 7-0 run to begin the second half but a Kendra Kerr (Marshfield, Mass.) 3-pointer at the 15:05 mark ended the Colonel run and extended the Leopard lead to 38-33. The proficient shooting continued as fellow senior Christine Henry (Tewksbury, Mass.) hit a corner three to keep Curry within five at 41-36.
Camara continued her strong game with five straight points capped by a driving layup with a foul to keep Wentworth in the lead 46-39 with nine minutes remaining. Curry rattled off five straight points after Kylie Beltz (Pequot Lakes, Minn.) finished a give-and-go on a fast-break to get the Colonels within one at 46-45 with five minutes remaining.
Curry tied the game at 51 with 1:25 left in the game on a Fallon layup. Fallon then gave her team its first lead of the game with a free throw to make the score 52-51 with 21 seconds left in regulation.
Kerr then stepped to the free throw line with eight seconds on the clock and hit the first of two to tie the game at 52-all. Both teams had possessions in final seconds – including when junior Christina Deiorio (Stoughton, Mass.) just missed a buzzer-beater – but failed to score and the game headed to overtime.
The first overtime began with Fallon converting a three-point play to give Curry a 55-52 lead. Sophomore Carly Rogers (Scarborough, Maine) then responded with an elbow jumper to pull Wentworth within one.
Christine Henry (Tewksbury, Mass.) hit a three with less than a minute remaining to give the Leopards a 58-57 lead. However, Fallon responded with a short jumper to put Curry back in the lead by one before Kerr hit a free throw to tie the game at 59-all with 25 seconds left. After a Curry turnover the Leopards had one last attempt, however turned the ball over with 1.4 seconds left.
A Kerr steal and layup gave Wentworth a 61-60 lead to begin the second overtime but a freshman Alyssa Keeney (Coventry, Conn.) jumper put the Colonels back on top by one at 63-62. After a Fallon free throw, Kerr knocked down a pair to tie the game for the seventh and final time at 64-all.
With 13 seconds left in the second overtime Fallon hit an elbow jump shot to give Curry a three point lead that would be the difference.
Camara led the Leopards with 19 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Kerr chipped in 18 points, pulled down 16 rebounds and had six steals. Stowe and Rogers added eight and seven points, respectively, with Rogers grabbing 10 rebounds.
Along with Fallon's 26 points, Curry was led by Samantha Corcoran's (Hampton, N.H.) 12 points and 10 rebounds. Ashley Assarian (Chicopee, Mass.) and Beltz combined for 16 points, seven assists and five steals in the victory.
Wentworth hosts Lasell on Thursday night, while Curry is idle until January 2 when the Colonels travela to Coast Guard on January 2.
CURRY 68, WENTWORTH 64
CURRY (4-3, 1-1 CCC)
Jeanette Fallon 9-21 8-14 26; Samantha Corcoran 4-12 4-6 12; Kylie Beltz 2-10 4-6 8; Ashley Assarian 1-3 5-6 8; Alyssa Keeney 3-4 0-0 7; Christina Deiorio 1-6 1-2 3; Shannon Griffith 1-5 1-2 3; Kerry White 0-3 1-2 1; Jessica Kender 0-0 0-0 0; Jessica Ricupero 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-64 24-38 68.
WENTWORTH (2-4, 0-2 CCC)
Rachael Camara 6-13 4-5 19; Kendra Kerr 3-11 11-18 18; Ashley Stowe 2-6 4-6 8; Carly Rogers 1-11 5-10 7; Christine Henry 2-9 0-0 6; Megan McLaughlin 2-12 0-0 4; Kellie Messer 0-0 2-2 2; Helena Kiritsy 0-0 0-0 0; Jackie Irwin 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-62 26-41 64.
Curry......................... 26 26 7 9 - 68
Wentworth..................... 35 17 7 5 - 64
3-point goals--Curry 2-10 (Ashley Assarian 1-1; Alyssa Keeney 1-1; Kylie Beltz 0-3; Christina Deiorio 0-2; Kerry White 0-1; Samantha Corcoran 0-2), Wentworth 6-22 (Rachael Camara 3-8; Christine Henry 2-7; Kendra Kerr 1-2; Megan McLaughlin 0-5). Fouled out--Curry-Kerry White; Samantha Corcoran; Kylie Beltz; Ashley Assarian, Wentworth-Carly Rogers; Kendra Kerr; Rachael Camara; Ashley Stowe. Rebounds--Curry 45 (Jeanette Fallon 11), Wentworth 55 (Kendra Kerr 16). Assists--Curry 14 (Kylie Beltz 5), Wentworth 13 (Rachael Camara 4). Total fouls--Curry 33, Wentworth 26. Technical fouls--Curry-Ashley Assarian, Wentworth-None. A-150
