Box Score

Highlights: Charter TV 3

DUDLEY, Mass. - Junior Devon Spirka (Wilmington, Vt.) dropped in a season-high 19 points for the Nichols College women's basketball team in a 54-53 loss to Johnson & Wales in non-conference action Tuesday evening at the Nichols Athletic Center.

Senior Hayley Zophin (Framingham, Mass.) recorded a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 16 rebounds as the Bison dropped their third-straight to fall to 2-3 on the season. Sophomore Alexis Wegrzynek (Wilbraham, Mass.) tallied nine points, seven boards, two assists, two steals and two blocks for Nichols, which held the Wildcats (3-2) to just 29 percent shooting (20-of-70) but struggled shooting the ball as well at 31 percent (21-of-68).

The Bison built an 18-6 lead seven minutes into the contest behind nine points from Zophin and five from Spirka. The Wildcats answered with a 19-5 run to take a 25-23 lead on a triple by junior Jenna Juron (Burnt Hills, N,Y.) with 2:21 left in the opening half. A layup by Zophin with 10 ticks to go tied the game at 30 going into the locker room. Zophin paced the Bison with 14 points and nine boards while Juron led JWU with 11 points.

Nichols took a 34-33 lead on one of Spirka's five 3-point field goals 6:33 into the second half and remained on top for the next 10+ minutes, extending its lead to as many as five points on several occasions. A pair of free throws by Juron with just over three minutes remaining cut the Wildcats deficit to three (51-48). Following a stop on defense, Juron drained a three to tie the game at 51 with 1:51 on the clock.

Senior Sarah Whitestone (Dalton, Mass.) put Nichols back in front 53-51 on a jumper with 93 seconds remaining before sophomore Natalie DiCocco (Media, Pa.) sank her fifth three-pointer of the game with 46 seconds left to gave JWU the lead for good. The Bison had numerous chances to regain the lead but missed four consecutive layups, and a desperation three by Spirka with one second left in the game off an inbounds pass fell short.

Juron led all scorers with 21 points while DiCocco went for 15 points on five triples to go along with three steals. The Wildcats leading scorer, senior Marina Millian (Chester, N.Y.), finished the contest with eight points and seven rebounds.

Senior captain Kristina Lindgren (Sturbridge, Mass.) notched five points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals in 33 minutes of action for the Bison.

Nichols returns to action on Thursday with an 8 p.m. contest at Suffolk. The Wildcats host Mass.-Dartmouth on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.