Salve Regina advances to TCCC semifinal with 64-51 win over Colby-Sawyer

NEWPORT, R.I. - The Commonwealth Coast Conference women's basketball defending champion Salve Regina University already has something it did not get last year - a home playoff victory. The Seahawks defeated the visiting Chargers of Colby-Sawyer College, 64-51, behind the 26-point effort of First Team All-TCCC junior forward Erin Phillips [Morristown, N.J.].

Salve Regina (16-9), which won three straight road games in the 2009 TCCC tournament as the No. 5 seed - including a first-round victory at Colby-Sawyer, switched roles with the Chargers this season to grab the No. 4 seed and its first home playoff game since winning it all in 2007.

The home court paid dividends as Salve Regina raced out to a 14-1 advantage. Phillips stole a pass on the perimeter and made a layup for the game's first field goal. Junior forward Olivia Browning [Trumbull, Conn.] hit a 3-pointer for a 7-0 lead. Colby-Sawyer (12-14) missed its first eight shots and committed five turnovers before senior forward Kate Callahan [Bridgton, Maine] put back her own miss for the first Charger field goal at the 12:46 mark.

Salve Regina head coach Cori Hughes credits her team defense with the fast start for the Seahawks.

"Our game plan was to try to contain penetration, to disrupt shots on the perimeter, and to make it look like we were double-teaming the post even though we weren't," said Hughes. "We just modified our 'man' to sag off the wings and sag off the high post. We never had any real intention of doubling the post because they have too good shooters on the outside."

"We executed and played great defense," Hughes continued. "Because of the way we were playing we got Colby-Sawyer to turn the ball over with traveling, and they forced things that weren't there. Our press really frazzled them; we would have kept it on if we had not gotten into foul trouble."

Sophomore center Lindsay Shorey [Ashland, Mass.] picked up her second personal foul at the 8:28 mark and it opened the door for a mini-comeback by the Chargers. Freshman guard Taylor DeSanty [North Adams, Mass.], Shorey's successor as the league's Rookie of the Year, cut the deficit to single digits (20-11) with her layup at 7:43.

A jumper by Browning and two more baskets from Phillips gave Salve Regina its largest lead of the first half (28-11), but Colby-Sawyer finished the first stanza with a 13-6 run - culminated by a layup by the TCCC co-Player of the Year, senior forward Terri Duffy [Marshfield, Mass.].

The Seahawks opened the second half much like the first, with a 15-5 burst and enjoyed their largest lead of the game (49-29) at the 13:11 mark. Freshman point guard Kaitlyn Birrell [Hope, R.I.] had a couple of steals in the backcourt during that stretch which made Coach Hughes especially proud of her first-year player: "Unbelievable! She played like a senior; she played great defense, harassing but smart. She called the offense and made some big shots."

Duffy was whistled for her fourth personal foul when setting a screen on offense and went to the Charger bench at the 16:29 mark. She would not be heard from again until a layup with just under eight minutes remaining.

The Seahawk lead was at 20 points again (57-37) when Shorey hit a jumper just outside the paint with 6:25 left. Colby-Sawyer enjoyed a 14-5 run before Shorey scored the game's last field goal on a layup after junior guard Kimberly Horan [Webster, Mass.] penetrated the lane and dished out the assist.

Shorey finished with 15 points while Browning added a double-double (12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds). DeSanty led the Chargers with 17 points.

Salve Regina travels to No. 1 seed University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, for a TCCC semifinal on Thursday (7 p.m.). The Nor'easters, who won 68-54 on their home court against Salve Regina (Jan. 16), advanced to the semifinal meeting with a 74-46 win over No. 8 Roger Williams University.