Endicott Pulls Away From Women's Basketball

BOSTON, Mass. – Junior Hannah Kiernan (Wenham, Mass.) scored 16 points on 8-for-14 shooting to help pace the Endicott College women's basketball team to a 65-42 over Wentworth Institute of Technology in a Commonwealth Coast Conference contest played at Tansey Gymnasium.

With the win the Gulls improve to 9-10 overall and 8-4 in CCC play while the Leopards fall to 2-17 (0-12).

After sophomore Francesca Matira (Ledyard, Conn.) gave the Black & Gold a 2-0 lead, Endicott held Wentworth off the board for the remainder of the quarter, scoring 16 unanswered points to lead, 16-2, after one quarter. Senior Sarah Hood (Burlington, Mass.) and Kiernan had four points apiece. Wentworth was held to 6.3 percent shooting in the frame.

Senior Ilyza Holman (Ashland, Mass.) hit a three to open the second quarter and gave Endicott a 19-2 lead. However, Wentworth used a 13-5 run, which was capped off by a three pointer from freshman Sam McGibbon (Pembroke, Mass.), to climb back in the game. McGibbon scored five points during the run. Endicott brought the lead back to a dozen with 3:23 left on a trifecta from freshman Emily Pratt (Gardner, Mass.) but the Leopards would bring the lead down to nine three more times, including when junior Haley Sabino (Topsfield, Mass.) 0.8 seconds left to make it 30-21 at the break. Wentworth shot 53.8 percent from the floor in thequarter.

Hood opened the third quarter with a layup to push the lead back to double digits before Matira buried a jumper to make it a nine-point game with 8:25 left. Endicott used a 9-2 run – capped off by a layup from Hood – to take a 41-25 lead with 5:06 left and led, 45-31, after three quarters.

Kiernan and sophomore Siobhan Turner (Wilmington, Mass.) exchanged baskets in the early part of the fourth quarter, but an 8-2 run extended the Gulls' lead and put the game out of reach.

Hood added 10 points and nine rebounds while Pratt had eight points and seven rebounds. Junior Gabriella Coppola (Watertown, Mass.) had eight points, seven rebounds, eight assists, and a pair of steals.

Matira had eight points for Wentworth while Sabino added seven points.

Both teams are in action on Tuesday as Wentworth hosts Eastern Nazarene and Endicott hosts the University of New England.

For the latest on Wentworth Athletics, follow the Leopards via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Wentworth Leopards "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.