WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Senior Rachael Camara (Fall River, Mass.) scored 22 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out five assists and classmate Carly Rogers (Scarborough, Maine) had 18 points, 11 rebounds, and a pair of blocked shots as the Wentworth Institute of Technology women's basketball team picked up its second straight win, rallying to defeat the University of St. Joseph, 66-60, in non-conference action Thursday night.
With the win the Leopards improve to 6-10 while the Blue Jays fall to 1-15.
St. Joseph held Wentworth to just one field goal in the first quarter as the Leopards shot 1-for-18 in the opening frame. However, six free throws kept them in the game and the Black & gold trailed, 14-8, after the opening 10 minutes. Junior Carlee Putnam (Niantic, Conn.) and sophomore Rajeen Mayo (Middletown, Conn.) had six and five points, respectively, for the hosts.
Wentworth scored the first six points of the second quarter, tying the game at 14-all on a senior Helena Kiritsy (Boylston, Mass.) jumper. The Leopards took their first lead of the night, 23-21, on a senior Megan McLaughlin three pointer with 4:56 left, however the Blue Jays used a 9-4 spurt and led by five (30-25) after a senior Stephanie DeJesus (Meriden, Conn.) three pointer. St. Joseph led by as many as eight (34-28) with a minute left but a Camara three made it 36-31 at the break.
The Blue Jays extended their lead to eight early in the third quarter before a 7-0 run – capped off by a sophomore Haley Sabino (Topsfield, Mass.) layup with 5:15 left – pulled Wentworth within one. St. Joseph countered with a 9-0 run and led by 10 after a DeJesus layup with 2:48 to play.
Camara hit a pair of free throws, Sabino made a layup, and Rogers made a layup to pull the Leopards within four and the Black & Gold trailed, 52-46 with one quarter remaining.
After a Mayo layup St. Joseph held a 56-48 lead with 8:31 remaining. Wentworth answered with a 13-0 run, which was capped off by a trifecta from McLaughlin to put Wentworth ahead 61-56. The Blue Jays got a three from Putnam with 1:53 left in the game, however a Sabino jumper and two Camara free throws put the game out of reach.
McLaughlin had 11 points and six assists and Sabino added nine points and five rebounds.
Four players scored in double figures for the Blue Jays as sophomore Kayla Guest scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, DeJesus scored 17 points, and Mayo and Putnam had 11 each.
Wentworth is at Nichols on Saturday.
