Basketball Falls 58-51 to UMass-Boston on Day One of Colby Tip-Off Classic

WATERVILLE, Maine -- Sophomore Anna Greenthal (Orinda, Calif.) led the Blue with 13 points in a 58-51 loss to UMass-Boston on day one of the Colby Tip-Off Classic in Waterville.

The Blue drop to 0-4 with the loss and UMass-Boston earns its first win of the year to improve to 1-4 overall.

Senior Meg Dixon (Hanover, Mass.) paved the way for the Beacons with 24 points and 19 rebounds and added four steals. Classmates Jasharee Greene (Boston, Mass.) and Sunny Green (Brewster, Mass.) each finished with 14 points. 

For Wellesley, Greenthal finished with a team-high 13 points including 3-of-4 from downtown. Senior Valentina Morakis (Long Island, N.Y.) was also in double figures with 11 points and went 5-of-7 from the free throw line. Off the bench, sophomore Ella Petra (Guilford, Conn.) tallied nine points and four rebounds in 20 minutes of play.

Both squads got off to an almost even start with a three-pointer by Greenthal making the game 8-7 with the Beacons holding a slight lead. Jiyun Chae (Chantilly, Va.) would tie the game with 1:40 remaining in the first quarter at 12-12, but UMass-Boston would close out on a 5-2 run to lead 17-14 after one. With the score at 19-18 in the middle of the second, the Beacons would score six straight to open up its lead. Wellesley would answer with a three from Gina Fiore (Reading, Pa.) to cut into the deficit. With under a minute left in the half, Petra knocked down a jump shot and the Blue would trail by seven going into the break.

Wellesley came storming out of the half, scoring the first seven points and tying it up with a shot by Greenthal from beyond the arc. Both teams would play the next four minutes scoreless until Green converted a layup for UMass-Boston. The Beacons would hold a two point lead heading into the final quarter. A 7-0 run capped off by a Dixon layup gave UMass-Boston a nine point lead in the fourth quarter. The Blue would battle back, after Morakis connected on two free throws and cut the lead to just four. The Beacons would not let Wellesley's momentum continue as Green knocked down a three with under a minute to play. Petra made a three late in the quarter, but Wellesley fell by a final score of 58-51.

The Blue shot an efficient 5-10 (50%) from three and scored 18 bench points. UMass-Boston forced 22 turnovers and scored 14 second chance points.

Wellesley will play Colby-Sawyer on day two of the Tip-Off Classic tomorrow at 2:00 PM.