Another rally for Salve Regina results in another victory, 68-64 over Endicott

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University women's basketball extended its win streak to 15 games with a 64-60 triumph over Endicott College in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) action today in Newport.

Salve Regina (20-3; 11-0 TCCC) remained unbeaten in conference play with its come-from-behind victory. The first half featured five lead changes and six ties. Endicott (14-7; 8-3 TCCC) remained in a tie with Colby-Sawyer College which lost a three-point decision at home today (76-73) to second-place University of New England.

Trailing by two (14-12) with under 13 minutes left in the first half, the Seahawks went on a 12-2 run led by six points from senior forward Erin Phillips (Morristown, N.J.). Gulls senior guard Ashley Wright (Merrimack, N.H.) then made three 3-pointers during a 17-8 run which erased the eight-point deficit.

Senior center Ashley Vitale (Wilmington, Mass.) sank a pair of free throws at the 12:44 mark in the second half for Endicott's largest lead of the game (47-42). The Gulls made 10-of-11 free throws in the second half.

Following a pair of free throws from Seahawk senior forward Victoria Audet (Broad Brook, Conn.), Wright hit her fourth 3-pointer of the game to put Endicott up one (56-55) with 3:57 on the clock.

Senior guard Kimberly Horan (Webster, Mass.) responded on the next Salve Regina possession with her only trey of the game, giving the home team the lead for good. The Seahawks used that hoop to go on a 12-2 run, including two layups from freshman forward Marissa Pendergast (Medfield, Mass.).

With just over a minute remaining, Phillips stole the ball off Wright and converted the theft into a layup and an eight-point lead (66-58). Wright scored six points in the final 20 seconds including a 3-pointer with seven seconds left.

After Salve Regina missed two free throws with four seconds remaining, Endicott senior forward Brittany Kelleher (Wakefield, Mass.) corralled her game-high 18th rebound but the Gulls were unable to get off a shot.

Phillips led the Seahawks with 16 points, five blocked shots and four steals. Junior forward Lindsay Shorey (Ashland, Mass.) added 15 points off the bench. Sophomore point guard Kaitlyn Birrell (Hope, R.I.) registered her second double-double of the season (10 points, 10 rebounds) while also contributing eight assists.

Wright finished with a game-high 28 points in the loss.

Salve Regina travels to Eastern Nazarene on Wednesday before hosting Gordon College next Saturday in the final regular-season home game for its seven seniors. The Seahawks need one more win (over a pair of teams combined for 2-20 in league play) to secure home-court advantage throughout the TCCC Championships.

Endicott next plays a non-league game at Tufts University on Monday.