Wheelock Outlasts Bay Path in Battle of NECC Wildcats
02.03.2009
Bay Path College hosted Wheelock College in the annual Women and Girls Sports Day with the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) “PINK OUT” twist. Despite the great fan turnout for the Bay Path Wildcats, the maroon and white hoopsters were unable to come up with a repeat performance falling 44-36 to the Wheelock Wildcats.
Wheelock’s junior guard Sarah Brown of Plainville, CT topped all scorers with 20 points hammering down 50 percent (4-for-8) from behind the arc. Brown was also a threat defensively picking up five steals. Senior forward Amelia Woodley of Malden, MA followed with 13 points and eight rebounds. Under the boards, junior forward Kerry Casey of Medford, MA was a rebounding force pulling down 14 boards and adding seven points.
Two Bay Path Wildcats notched double figures including team leader junior forward Jessica Hunt of Madison, CT with a double-double tallying 14 points and 12 rebounds. Junior Forward Ashley Cimmino of Westfield, MA added 10 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Senior guard Sarah Wright of Canterbury, NH had eight points and six rebounds going 2-for-3 from downtown. Junior point guard Christina Calabrese of Hamilton, NJ led all players in dishes with a season high seven assists for the Bay Path Wildcats.
The game was controlled mainly by Bay Path in the first half heading into the locker room with a 21-19 lead for the home team. The score flip-flopped seven times during the contest with the score knotted eight for the night. Wheelock came back from the half determined to stick close and were able to bring it home in the stretch notching 25 points to Bay Path’s 15 in the final 20 minutes of play.
Cimmino nailed a jumper at 3:52 left on the clock to see Bay Path’s final tie at 35 all. Wheelock’s junior forward Elise Ordille of Waltham, MA ignited the final drive by the visiting Wildcats nailing a lay-up at 3:36 on the clock. Ordille would again score in the paint off an assist by Brown, who just prior to that possession hit a free throw.
With the scoreboard now 40-35 in favor of Wheelock under the minute mark, Hunt hits one from the charity stripe. Hunt, despite having four fouls, takes the early exit to the bench after starting the “fouling” offense to save time on the clock. Brown would finish up the scoring making all four free-throws after two free trips to the line.
Wheelock is now 2-15 overall and 2-6 in the NECC, while Bay Path falls to 3-15 on the season and 1-8 in conference play. Bay Path will host Newbury College on Thursday, February 4 at an 8:00 p.m. tip-off.
The February 3 game was Bay Path’s annual Women and Girls Sports Day bringing recognition to female athletics. To coincide with the NECC’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee’s (SAAC) chosen charity for the 2008-2009 year, the Bay Path Wildcats showed their support by selling conference “Pink Out” T-Shirts to raise money. All students and fans were encouraged to show their “pink” colors to increase breast cancer awareness.
