Box Score

NEWPORT, R.I. - Juniors Alexis Wegrzynek (Wilbraham, Mass.) and Amber Litwinko (Berlin, Conn.) each scored 12 points in Nichols College's 72-47 loss at Salve Regina University in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Rogers Recreation Center.

Salve Regina senior forward Marissa Pendergast (Medfield, Mass.) scored a game-high 19 points and snared a game-high seven rebounds for the Seahawks (4-5; 2-1 CCC), who had a season-high 21 assists, led by five apiece from senior Lisa Bucci (Irvington, N.Y.) and sophomore Meaghan Harden (Sandwich, Mass.).

Litwinko scored the first jumper one minute into the game. She also scored the next Bison basket on a layup at 14:25, but after the Seahawks went on a 12-0 run.

Junior Laura Anne Dinan (Monterey, Mass.) sank her first jumper of the game at 18:28 to start the Salve Regina run. Brianna Del Valle (Belchertown, Mass.), Pendergast, and Harden then accounted for four layups before Harden's free throws gave Salve Regina its first double-digit lead, 12-2, at 14:32.

When Kelsey Kennedy (Medford, N.J.) hit her jumper at 12:21 in the first half, all five Seahawk starters had made field goals in the game. Pendergast's layup at 8:49 put Salve Regina up by a dozen (22-10) before Nichols (6-3; 1-2 CCC) went on a 7-0 run.

Senior Devon Spirka (Wilmington, Vt.) and Litwinko combined for three layups in the run to close the gap to five points (22-17). After a Salve Regina timeout, Bucci assisted Del Valle on a layup.

Salve Regina closed the half on a 15-5 run which included two jumpers from junior Cortney Rosenlund (Whitinsville, Mass.). Bucci had a 3-pointer in the final minute and Del Valle swished a jumper just before the buzzer for a 37-22 Seahawk advantage at the break.

Salve Regina opened the second half on a 9-0 run featuring two Del Valle jumpers, a Kennedy 3-pointer, and a Harden layup. Wegrzynek, who scored all of her team-high 12 points in the second half, made three baskets in a short span to cut the deficit to 20 points (48-28), but Salve Regina's 13-2 run later in the period iced the game.

Freshman Jillian Woodward (Orono, Maine) made a layup at 2:38 for the Seahawks' largest lead, 72-42. The Seahawks commited more turnovers (18-17) but also converted Bison turnovers into 21 points, compared to just eight for Nichols.

Del Valle finished with 16 points and Harden added 10 points for the Seahawks.

Both teams are on the road Tuesday to face Commonwealth Coast Conference opponents - Salve Regina travels to Endicott College while Nichols moves on to Milton, Mass., to face Curry College. Salve Regina returns home on Thursday, January 9, when it hosts defending conference champion University of New England.

Courtesy of Salve Regina sports information