Box Score

DUDLEY, MASS. – Junior Amber Litwinko (Berlin, Conn.) tallied 21 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists in Nichols College's 66-51 win over Western New England University Thursday evening in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's basketball action at the Nichols Athletic Center.

Senior Devon Spirka (Wilmington, Vt.) and junior Alexis Wegrzynek (Wilbraham, Mass.) each added 11 points the Bison (7-4, 2-3 CCC) snapped a two-game losing skid and moved to 17-22 all-time against the Golden Bears. Junior Sarah Whitestone (Dalton, Mass.) dropped in 10 points in 18 minutes of action.

Sophomore Chelsea Vujs (Berlin, Conn) netted a team-high 21 points on 7-of-16 for Western New England (5-6, 2-3 CCC), which shot just 26 percent for the game (15-of-58). The next closest student-athlete in scoring was junior Samantha McCann (Warren, Mass.) with six points.

Nichols built a seven-point lead on a layup by senior Kasey Pelletier (Dunstable, Mass.) with 6:30 remaining in the first half. A free throw from sophomore Elizabeth McKinley (Thompson, Conn.) with 1:22 to go pushed the Bison lead to double-figures at 25-15, and a layup by Litwinko with 20 ticks remaining gave them a 12-point lead heading to the locker room. Litwinko led all scorers with 11 while McCann had four to pace the Golden Bears.

Spirka's second bucket of the second half – a jumper at 14:45 – stretched the lead to 17 points at 40-23. Whitestone's basket 51 seconds gave the Bison its largest lead of the contest at 21 (44-23), and the lead never fell below 11 points the rest of the way.

"This was a much-needed win for our team morale," said Nichols second-year head coach Alice Mullen. "We had four student-athletes in double-figures and we received a solid effort from a lot of different people, which is why we won the game. We didn't shoot very well in the first half, but our pressure defense really sparked our offense."

The Golden Bears outrebounded Nichols 48-40 but committed 25 turnovers which led to 27 Bison points. Wegrzynek filled the stat sheet with seven rebounds, five assists, five rebounds, and two blocks. Spirka, meanwhile, dished out five dimes.

The Bison return to action on Saturday when they head to Biddeford, Maine for a 1 p.m. contest with UNE. The Golden Bears host Eastern Nazarene Saturday at 1 p.m.