Western New England downs Salve Regina, 50-42

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior forward Sarah Proper (Coxsackie, N.Y.) compiled a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Western New England women's basketball team to a 50-42 victory over Salve Regina Thursday evening (Jan. 12) at the Alumni Healthful Living Center.

Junior guard Emily Savino (Ellington, Conn.) added 12 points for the Golden Bears who are now 4-8 overall and 3-2 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.

Sophomore guard Ali Pessolano (Hampden, Mass.) contributed eight points and nine rebounds for the Golden Bears.

Sophomore guard Justine King (Ware, Mass.) helped key the win by making five free throws (her only points of the game) in the final 31.3 seconds.

The game was close the entire first half with the Seahawks holding a six-point edge at the 4;55 mark before taking a 28-24 lead at the break.

Western New England got back in the game by holding the Seahawks to only two points in the opening 9:07 of the second half.

Salve Regina (6-6, 3-2 CCC) broke a 31-31 tie with five straight points following a free throw by sophomore forward Marissa Pendergast (Medfield, Mass.) with 8:49 to play.

Proper hit a jumper to give Western New England a 37-36 lead with 6:45 remaining before Pendergast sank a pair of foul shots to give the visitors their final lead at 38-37 just 30 seconds later.

Pessolano and Savino made clutch three-points down the stretch to pen a 43-39 margin with 3:08 left.

Junior guard Kaitlyn Birrell (Hope, R.I.) pulled SRU within 43-41 after making a layup with 2:22 remaining before the Golden Bears ran off five straight points for a 48-41 lead with just 20.2 seconds left. Birrell also compiled six steals in the game.

Pendergast finished with eight points and 10 rebounds for the Seahawks while Birrell also netted eight points.

Salve Regina made only four field-goals in the second stanza and shot only 23.7% from the field and 52.2% (12-for-23) from the foul line.

Western New England made 37.8% of its shots and held a slight 43-29 edge in rebounding.