WNE Powers Past Women's Basketball

BOSTON, Mass. – The Western New England University women's basketball team used a career-high 24 points from junior Meghan Orbann (East Hampton, Conn.) to down Wentworth Institute of Technology 74-49 inside Tansey Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference action.

Orbann put the Golden Bears in front 22-10 after the first quarter with 11 points, and a perfect 2-for-2 showing from three-point range. A 10-5 run to start the second quarter boosted the WNE lead to 33-15, capped by a deep trey from junior Sydney Fisher (Strafford, N.H.). Fisher connected from long range again with three seconds remaining in the first half, as the Golden Bears held a 43-21 advantage heading into the break.

Wentworth sophomores Erin Morton (Norway, Maine) and Stephanie Mini (Topsfield, Mass.) combined for nine points in the third quarter, but WNE doubled-up on the boards (8-4) while outscoring the hosts 19-14 to keep out in front 62-35. Wentworth in turn outscored WNE 14-12 in the last 10 minutes, using notable contributions from Francesca Matira (Ledyard, Conn.), Ilyssa Creamer (Pittsfield, Mass.), Samantha Cormier (Rochester, N.H.), and Jessica Seeley (Poland, Maine), but the Golden Bears ran away with the 74-49 win.

Morton scored a team-high 12 points for the Leopards, and went a perfect 3-for-3 from the line while adding seven assists and six rebounds. Junior Sam McGibbon  (Pembroke, Mass.) came off the bench to score nine points – all from behind the arc, while Mini pulled down eight rebounds in the effort and added six points of her own.

Orbann poured in a game-high 24 points in the best game of her career, including an impressive 5-for-8 performance from long range, and was shy just of a double-double with nine rebounds.  Junior Courtney Carlson (Woodbury, Conn.) rounded out double figures for Western New England with 11 points, joining Orbann with nine boards.

Wentworth (0-7) resumes conference play on Tuesday with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off at UNE.

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