Seahawks improve to 2-0 in conference
DUDLEY, Mass. – Senior captain Alexis Wegrzynek (Wilbraham, Mass.) poured in a career-high 24 points in Nichols College's 53-46 loss to Salve Regina University Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action Saturday afternoon at the Nichols Athletic Center.
Wegrzynek also grabbed eight rebounds to go along with two steals and one block in just 23 minutes of action because of foul trouble. Senior captain Amber Litwinko (Berlin, Conn.) pulled down a game-high 17 rebounds and was the only other Bison in double-figures as she scored 10 points on 3-of-20 from the field.
Junior Meaghan Harden (Sandwich, Mass.) – who came in averaging 24.1 ppg – led the Seahawks with 16 on 6-of-17 shooting. Freshman Allyson Esielionis (Shirley, Mass.) tallied 11 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, and two steals in 26 minutes to help SRU improve to 5-3 (2-0 CCC) on the season.
The Bison opened the game 2-for-20 from the floor, which allowed the Seahawks to build a 10-point lead (15-5) 12 minutes into the contest, led by six points from Esielionis. A basket by Litwinko brought Nichols to within seven (19-12) before the Seahawks settled into an eight-point halftime lead at 23-15. Esielionis led all scorers with nine while Litwinko and freshman Brooke Packard (Dudley, Mass.) had four apiece for Nichols, which shot 18 percent. Salve Regina shot 29 percent through the opening 20 minutes.
Six points from Wegrzynek to open the second half sparked an 8-3 Nichols run and got it to within three points of the Seahawks at 26-23. Salve Regina answered with a 12-2 run of its own and moved in front 38-25 on a layup from Harden with 8:56 on the clock.
Nichols scrapped its way back into the game when back-to-back layups from Wegrzynek made it 39-33 with seven minutes to go, but a step-back three from freshman Mary Eden (South Kingston, R.I.) with 3:32 remaining gave the Seahawks an 11-point lead at 49-38.
The Bison outrebounded Salve Regina 47-43, which led to 21 second-chance points. They also forced 24 turnovers which they turned into eight fast break points. SRU closed the contest shooting 33 percent while Nichols finished at 25 percent.
Nichols (2-3, 0-2 CCC) plays at Gordon Tuesday at 5:30. The Seahawks host Roger Williams Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.