NEWPORT, R.I. – Junior Meghan Harden (Sandwich, Mass.) scored 20 of her game-high 22 points in the second half to help the Salve Regina women's basketball team erase a two-point halftime deficit and defeat Wentworth Institute of Technology, 65-54, in the Commonwealth Coast Conference opener for both teams.
With the win the Seahawks improve to 4-3 overall (1-0 CCC) while the Leopards fall to 2-4 (0-1).
Junior Carly Rogers (Scarborough, Maine) and freshman Riselly Deoleo (Manchester, N.H.) combined to score Wentworth's first 11 points as the visitors jumped out to an 11-0 lead 3:18 into the contest. Salve Regina finally got on the board at the 16:14 mark, however a Rogers jumper and junior Megan McLaughlin (Southington, Conn.) 3-pointer made it a 16-2 Leopard advantage.
Wentworth led, 24-11, after a McLaughlin trifecta with 8:46 left, however an 8-2 Salve Regina spurt cut the lead to seven (26-19) with 5:35 left. Freshman Allyson Esielionis (Shirley, Mass.) had four points during the run.
Freshman Haley Sabino (Topsfield, Mass.) stopped the run with a basket with 5:07 left, however the Seahawks outscored the Leopards by a 9-2 margin over the next 4:10 and Wentworth's lead would be 30-28 at the break.
After Harden opened the second half to tie the game at 30-all, Rogers scored the next three points to put the Leopards back on top, 33-30, with 18:09 left. Wentworth held a 39-36 lead with 14:01 left after a Sabino basket before a 10-0 Seahawk run gave the hosts the lead for good. Harden and Esielionis had five points apiece during the run.
The Leopards pulled within three on three occasions and trailed by four when Rogers scored with 3:23 left, however Harden scored Salve Regina's next four points to double its lead with 1:32 left.
In addition to her 22 points Harden also grabbed five rebounds and was one of three Seahawk players in double digits. Esielionis recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds while sophomore Jillian Woodward (Orono, Maine) had 10 points.
Rogers recorded her third double-double of the season as she scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with four blocks. Deoleo and McLaughlin scored 11 apiece, while Sabino chipped in with 10. McLaughlin also had six rebounds and four assists.
Both teams are in action on Saturday as Salve Regina is at Nichols and Wentworth hosts Gordon.
