Salve Regina defeats Eastern Nazarene, 51-42

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University women's basketball won its third straight with a 51-42 decision over visiting Eastern Nazarene College in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action at the Rodgers Recreation Center. The Seahawks (6-5; 3-1 CCC) climb over .500 for the first time this season while the Lions (5-6; 2-2 CCC) lose for the third time on a four-game road trip.

Seahawk sophomore forward Marissa Pendergast (Medfield, Mass.) led all scorers with 12 points while grabbing nine rebounds. Freshman Brianna DelValle (Belchertown, Mass.) topped the Seahawks off the glass with 10 caroms.

Salve Regina, which led by as many as 11 in the first half, 26-15, after a layup by freshman Laura Anne Dinan (Monterey, Mass.) with 2:10 remaining, extended its all-time record over Eastern Nazarene to 28-7 with its 19th straight win in the series.

Senior guard Samantha Leach (Shapleigh, Maine) hit the first of her two 3-pointers and was later followed by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from junior teammate Ace Carradine (Honolulu, Hawaii) that cut the Lions deficit to five at the break (28-23).

Salve Regina opened the second half with a 19-2 run to put the game away. Junior center Allison Pigoga (Exeter, R.I.) scored three successive baskets in the paint during the stretch.

A jumper by junior forward Shardae Brown (Waterbury, Conn.) at 18:23 in the second was the only scoring for Eastern Nazarene until junior guard Mel Green (Annapolis, Md.) drained a 3-pointer with 5:50 left.

Eastern Nazarene had eight players scoring in the game, but none in double figures. Leach led the Lions with eight points while Dianna Bonds (Marietta, Ga.) led all players with 14 rebounds.

Nine of 11 Seahawks in the lineup scored while Bonnie Cecil (New York, N.Y.) contributed a steal in three minutes of play and Taylor Windwer (Milton, Mass.) had a rebound and an assist during her action on her birthday. Dinan added nine points while Pigoga and senior center Lindsay Shorey (Ashland, Mass.) scored eight apiece.

Salve Regina travels to Western New England University for a date with the Golden Bears on Thursday (6 p.m.) and Eastern Nazarene hosts Nichols College on the same night. Entering tonight's games, seven of the 10 conference schools were tied for first place with identical 2-1 marks.