BOSTON, Mass. – Sophomore Rachael Camara (Fall River, Mass.) matched a career-high with 19 points, including scoring five consecutive points to snap a 54-all tie with under four minutes remaining to help the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's basketball team snap a four-game losing streak with a 66-61 win over the University of Maine-Farmington.
With the win the Leopards close out first semester play with a 3-5 record while the Beavers end their first semester at 3-6.
The visitors opened the contest by scoring the game's first four points, thanks to baskets from sophomore Ayla Allen (Mexico, Maine) and junior Lindsay Ranquist (wls Head, Maine). A transition layup from sophomore Carly Rogers (Scarborough, Maine) off a senior Kendra Kerr (Marshfield, Mass.) steal and a jumper by Camara tied the game at 4-all with 15:48 left.
Maine-Farmington took a 6-4 lead on a basket from senior Holly Oliver (Belgrade Lakes, Maine), but Camara drained a shot from behind the arc on the next possession which gave the hosts a 7-6 lead, a lead that would balloon to as many as 11 with 8:39 left when senior Ashley Stowe (Charlestown, R.I.) hit two free throws.
With Wentworth holding a 24-14 lead with 6:54 left in the half, the Beavers used a 10-2 run over the next 3:22 and cut the lead to just two on a jumper from freshman Kennadi Grover (Cushing, Maine). However, the Leopards scored the final seven points of the half and lead, 33-24, at the break.
Grover and Rogers traded baskets to open the second half, which allowed the Leopards to hold a nine-point edge. The Beavers responded with a 10-2 run and cut the lead to one (37-36) on a layup from sophomore Elizabeth Ferry (Winslow, Maine).
Wentworth brought its lead back to as many as five on three occasions before a basket by Ranquist and two free throws from Allen cut the lead to 46-45 with 9:16 remaining. A freshman Kellie Messer (Hollis, N.H.) basket put the Black & Gold back up by three before Grover made it a 48-47 game with 8:21 left. A Messer basket and four straight points from Kerr pushed the lead to seven with 7:00 left, however the Beavers scored the next seven points and tied the game on one of two free throws from sophomore Meghan Smith (Boothbay, Maine). During UMF's spurt, Ranquist scored four points and Oliver added a layup before Smith's game-tying free throw.
After both teams missed shots, Camara hit a three from the top left of the key to break the tie with 4:01 left, and, after a Beaver turnover, hit a jumper to push the Leopard lead to 59-54 with 3:25 left. Maine-Farmington pulled within one on baskets from Ranquist and Smith, but sophomore Megan McLaughlin (Southington, Conn.) hit a three to make it a 62-58 game with 2:40 left.
The Beavers hit three of four free throws to cut the lead to one (62-61) with 1:02 left and got the ball back off a Leopard turnover. However, a turnover of their own gave the Leopards the ball back with 31 seconds left. Camara hit two free throws, and, after UMF missed a jumper, Kerr grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and hit both free throws to seal the win.
In addition to her 19 points, Camara had five rebounds, three assists, and five steals. Kerr finished with 14 points, five rebounds, three assists, and five steals, while Rogers recorded a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds. The Leopards were 14-for-16 from the charity stripe for the contest.
Ranquist finished with 19 points for the Beavers as she and Grover (who finished with 14 points) were both 7-for-11 from the floor. Oliver had 11 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Maine-Farmington held a 41-31 rebounding advantage.
The Leopards are idle until January 2 when they host Plymouth State while the Beavers travel to Colby on January 4.
