Birrell steals win for Salve Regina over Colby-Sawyer

NEWPORT, R.I. - Katilyn Birrell (Hope, R.I.) was everywhere, at least that's what visiting Colby-Sawyer College felt, since the sophomore point guard recorded a career-high 10 steals to lead Salve Regina University women's basketball to its 13th straight victory with a 56-40 decision over the Chargers in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) action today.

Salve Regina (18-3; 9-0 TCCC) shot a season-best 86.4% from the free-throw line, making 19 of 22 attempts, and out-scoring Colby-Sawyer (11-10; 6-3 TCCC) by 14 from the charity stripe (19-5). The Seahawks needed the strong output from the line since they shot under 30 percent (28.1) for the third time this season - the previous two times resulted in losses in back-to-back games against Rhode Island College (12/7/10) and Westfield State College (12/11/10).

In the first half, the lead changed hands seven times and the score was tied five times. The Chargers went inside the lockerroom at the break up two (21-19) by going inside to freshman forward Mari Meserve (Carver, Mass.) for six points.

Salve Regina got more than half of its first-half production from its bench led by freshman forward Marissa Pendergast (Medfield, Mass.) and Lindsay Shorey (Ashland, Mass.) with six and four points, respectively.

In the second half, the Seahawks enjoyed a 24-9 run to build a double-digit advantage (43-32) with 7:31 remaining. Birrell's sixth steal of the game led to a breakaway layup that forged the seventh and final tie (27-all at the 15:00 mark).

Senior forward Erin Phillips (Morristown, R.I.), who scored all of her 12 points in the second half, made a short jumper with 14:27 remaining that gave the Seahawks the lead for good. Phillips and Pendergast both finished 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.

Meserve finished with a team-high 10 points for Colby-Sawyer which was looking to drop a TCCC team from the unbeaten ranks for the second-straight game. The Chargers defeated Endicott College on Thursday behind a career-high 28-point effort from Katelyn Stravinsky (Norwell, Mass.). Meserve and junior forward Kaitlin Fifield led the Chargers with eight rebounds apiece.

Pendergast, who finished with a game-high 15 points, shared team-high rebounding honors with Phillips (eight apiece). Shorey finished with 11 points and six rebounds.

The Seahawks host Curry College in a doubleheader at the Rodgers Recreation Center on Tuesday (6 p.m.) while the Chargers travel to last-place Gordon College.