Wellesley gained a 4-0 advantage from the start with
back-to-back steals and fast breaks by Malia Maier
(Torrance, CA). After building a steady eight-point lead during the
first twelve minutes of the game, the Blue pressed their edge with
two consecutive three-pointers by Elisha Orama
(Miramar, FL) and Maier. Kimball sunk two foul shots to lift the
Blue to a 15-point lead, 33-18, at 7:54.
Clarks' Kate Minster (Manchester, England) responded with
four three-pointers and six field goals of her own to chip away at
the gap in the first half. However, the Blue offense kept rolling
with two three-pointers apiece from Laura Barrett
(Dobbs Ferry, NY) and Katie Martore (Great Falls,
VA). Maier contributed six steals as Wellesley closed the first
half with a 46-26, 20-point advantage.
Jillian Camilleri (Lancaster, MA) opened the second half with a
lay-up for Clark. Maier of Wellesley followed with a trey and two
foul shots to push the blue to a 24-point advantage at 16:57. Three
Blue lay-ups by Ashleigh Sargent (Bedford, NH),
Robyn Burleson (Seattle, WA), and Becca
Kimball (Weston, MA) were met by a Cougar lay-up from
Kelsey Johnston (Shirley, MA), leaving Wellesley a 27-point lead
with 14:37 on the clock. Tight defense on both sides held the score
until 11:18 when Johnston converted a conventional three-point play
for the Cougars.
Even offense maintained Wellesley's advantage, resting in
the twenties for the remainder of the game as both teams'
scores climbed. The Clark offense kept pushing with a three from
Theresa Pickens (Worcester, MA) and two from Brittany Kennedy (West
Hartford, CT) in the last 39 seconds of the game, but Wellesley
held on for the 19-point win. The 78-59 victory brought the Blue
their second home win in a row and their highest offensive output
of the season. The game also marked a season high of 10
three-pointers and a season low of 11 turnovers for the Blue.
Minister of Clark finished the game with 19 points. Teammates
Pickens and Johnston contributed 13 and 8 points respectively.
Wellesley's Maier matched a career-high and NEWMAC best
with 8 steals, while also leading all scorers with 20 points. The
Blue got a solid 17 points from Kimball, while Barrett scored a
season-high of nine points with three three-pointers. Rounding out
the offense for Wellesley, Sargent finished with eight points and
KD Stearns (Eustis, FL) added seven.
