Nicholas rallies Roger Williams to win at Salve Regina

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SEAHAWK WOMEN'S BASKETBALL RESULTS
Roger Williams 63, Salve Regina 58
Rodgers Recreation Center - Newport, Rhode Island
Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Summary
NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University junior tri-captain Allyson Esielionis (Shirley, Mass.) scored a career-high 20 points including four 3-pointers, but visiting Roger Williams University rallied for a 63-58 road victory in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's basketball action at the Rodgers Recreation Center.

Trailing by one (53-52) with 4:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Hawks went on an 11-3 run over a four-minute stretch. Junior Mariah Nicholas (Acushnet, Mass.) hit a go-ahead jumper and scored seven of her team's final 11 points. Nicholas finished with 17 points for the Hawks who also got 15 points from Katie Lowerre (Sharon, Mass.) and 10 points from Anna Walther (Northampton, Mass.).

Salve Regina's Mary Eden (So. Kingstown, R.I.) and Torie Scorpio (Cranston, R.I.) finished with 14 and 13 points respectively.

Series and Streaks
The Hawks have won eight of the last 10 meetings, but the Seahawks own a sizeable advantage in the all-time series (28 to 16). Roger Williams has won four of its last five visits to the Rodgers Recreation Center.

Three Stars of the Game

1. Salve Regina junior Allyson Esielionis (Shirley, Mass.) - scored a career high 20 points on eight of 15 from the floor, including four of six 3-pointers, and added two rebounds and a blocked shot.
2. Roger Williams junior Mariah Nicholas (Acushnet, Mass.) scored seven of her team-high 17 points during a four-minute period down the stretch to help the Hawks overcome a deficit. Nicholas was three-for-three from the free-throw line, and added a team-high seven rebounds.
3. Roger Williams senior Katie Lowerre (Sharon, Mass.) scored 15 points, and added three steals and four rebounds.

Key Stat of the Game
Both teams made the same number of field goals (23) and 3-pointers (five), but the Hawks made five more free throws (12-7). Roger Williams also had the edge in points off turnovers (16-9) and bench points (9-2).

Turning Point
Mariah Nicholas' jumper at 4:10 put the Hawks in the lead (54-53) and she followed one of two free throws from Salve Regina's Kerri Beland (Attleboro, Mass.) with a 3-pointer, part of an 11-3 run for Roger Williams with Nicholas contributing seven points.

Quick Hits

• Salve Regina led in rebounding (42 to 40) and has led in that statistic in all but two games this season.
• Mary Eden had the only other 3-pointer for Salve Regina, with 47 second left in the first quarter.
• Score tied = eight times; leads changed = nine times
• Both teams had their largest leads at seven points.

Quotes
"It's tough ... we're battling, we're right there, we just can't seem to get the carrot. We're close, but we're just not finishing. Our zone looked really good, it's come a long way." - Salve Regina head coach Cori Hughes

"I asked coach earlier in the week what I had to do because I couldn't figure out what was wrong with my shot, and she told me just hold my follow through and tonight I made sure to remember just to do that, and it worked. Some good advise from coach." - Allyson Esielionis during interview with WADK's Bobb Angel

Next Up
Salve Regina (1-6, 0-3 CCC) - Thursday, December 8 at Trinity (Conn.), 7 p.m.
Roger Williams (4-2, 3-0 CCC) - Thursday, December 8 at Connecticut Col., 6 p.m.