Coast Guard Tops Blue Basketball, 54-43

BABSON PARK, Mass. — Wellesley College senior Morgyne Weaver scored a game-high 18 points but it wasn't enough for the Blue as the visiting Coast Guard Academy Bears ran to a 54-43 victory in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Saturday night at Babson College's Staake Gymnasium. 

With the victory, Coast Guard moves to 1-1 in conference play and 2-3 overall on the season. The Blue slip to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in NEWMAC games. 

Weaver also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds while grabbing three steals and a pair of assists. Junior Chelsi Scott finished in double-figures with 10 points, grabbing six rebounds of her own. First year Kayla Jang and sophomore Ailis Hanley both added five points, with Jang also picking up four steals and a pair of assists and Hanley pulling down five rebounds. 

The Bears never trailed throughout and opened the contest with a 10-2 run in the first two minutes of the game. Senior Dani Knox scored the first two of her team-high 13 points, converting a layup between a pair of three-pointers from Leigha Steinbeck and Torie Sutherland. Meghan Fornaro then capped the run with a layup of her own. Fornaro also finished in double-figures for the Bears with 10 points, while Sutherland added nine points and tied with Knox for game-high honors with eight rebounds. 

Hanley ended the early Coast Guard run with a layup at 15:22 of the first but Knox and the Bears continued to pull away in the early going. The Coast Guard senior then knocked down the next two shots of the game, helping the Bears to eventually grow their lead to 14 points, at 25-11, with 5:41 left in the first. Coast Guard would then take a 13-point advantage into the break thanks to a 29-16 lead. 

Wellesley opened the second half with an 8-0 run, closing the gap to 29-24 with 13:36 remaining. Weaver led the charge in the opening minutes of the second half, knocking down three unanswered baskets before senior Meghan Sargent capped the run with a pair of free throws. 

The Bears responded by knocking down four-consecutive buckets, including a pair of three-pointers, to once again take a double-digit advantage, this time at 39-24, with 8:56 left in regulation. 

Wellesley put together an 8-2 run to again knock the Coast Guard advantage under double-figures, at 41-32, with just over five minutes to play. However, a three from Coast Guard's Alexi Howland made the score 44-32 and ended the Blue run with 4:56 to play. Knox then closed out the game for the Bears, scoring seven of their final nine points as Coast Guard took the 54-43 victory. 

Wellesley will return to action on Sunday and Monday, December 28 and 29 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Blue will take on Edgewood on the 28th before battling Suffolk on Monday the 29th. Coast Guard will host Babson on January 3, 2015 at 1:00 PM.