SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – A layup by junior Dani Davis tied the game with 12 seconds left and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) basketball team held on in overtime for a 63-56 win against Mount Holyoke College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action on Sunday. With the victory, the Engineers move to 7-9 overall and 5-6 in conference play, while the Lyons slip to 4-12 and 1-10 in the NEWMAC.
Down 51-47 with 26 seconds left to play, WPI saw senior Kelly Morgan (Brookline, N.H./Hollis-Brookline) nail a jumper to cut the deficit to two. The homestanding Lyons had a chance to add to the advantage, but a missed free throw on a one-and-one by junior Amber Legare (Chicopee, Mass./Chicopee Comprehensive) gave the visitors the opening they needed.
Hauling in the defensive rebound, junior Amaia Gritsko (Milford, Conn./St. Joseph) got the ball up the court and into the hands of Davis (East Granby, Conn./East Granby), who drained a layup to tie the game at 51-all with 12 seconds left in regulation.
Mount Holyoke tied to win it, but a long jumper from junior captain Kate Karraker (Morgantown, W.V./Taft School (Conn.) came up just short to send the game into the extra session.
The Lyons grabbed a quick bucket to start overtime as senior Jennine Vizcaino (New York, N.Y./Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) sank a layup, but ensuing layups from sophomore Jessica Larsen (San Diego, Calif./Poway) and junior Rachel Pineda (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) gave WPI the 55-53 edge with 3:35 to play in OT.
MHC tied it 55-all on a jumper from sophomore Genelle Green (Windsor, Conn./Miss Porter's School) and a free throw make from Legare would later make it a one-point game (57-56), but that would be as close as the Lyons could get after a three-pointer from Morgan with 32 seconds left and late free throws sealed the win.
Mount Holyoke owned a 32-26 lead after the first half of action, which saw Karraker record a game-high 12 points, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. In the second half, the Lyons continued to hold on, but WPI consistently chipped away at the advantage, finally tying the contest at 40-all with 8:47 to play. Despite regaining a lead, the Engineers were relentless and rebounded back with the late heroics to force overtime.
For WPI, which won its third overtime NEWMAC game of the season, Morgan finished with a game-best 15 points, including 4-of-9 from three-point range. She also added three rebounds, three assists and two steals. Pineda added 11 points and four assists, while Davis also had 11 points to go along with a game-best six assists.
Karraker recorded a game-best 15 points, adding four assists and three boards to her total. Legare chipped in with 14 points and a game-best 13 rebounds, while Green had 12 points on the afternoon.
Both teams are back on the court on Wednesday at 7pm as Mount Holyoke hosts Wheaton, while WPI travels to Clark.
Photos courtesy of RJB Sports Photography.
