HENNIKER, N.H. – Roger Williams University’s Alexandria Lanieri (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) finished with a team-high 18 points and nine rebounds leading the Hawks past the New England College Pilgrims 64-52 in women’s basketball action Saturday afternoon. With the win the Hawks improve to 7-9 overall and 3-2 in conference play. The loss drops the Pilgrims to 7-10 on the season and 0-5 in the conference.
The two teams would battle back-and-forth through the opening half of the first before Roger Williams Carly Spagnola (Millbrook, N.Y.) would score five straight points putting the Hawks up 17-11 at the 9:33 mark. The Pilgrims would respond scoring the next six points to knot the game at 17-17 with 7:30 remaining in the half.
Roger Williams would rebuild their six point lead late in the half but NEC’s Jen Adams (Brimfield, Mass.) would score the final four points sending the Pilgrims into halftime trailing just 27-25.
The Hawks would open the second half on an 11-4 run building their largest lead of the afternoon up nine points with 11 minutes remaining in regulation. The Roger Williams offense would stay hot as the Hawks would drain seven straight jumpers to go up 60-41 with 3:32 on the clock.
NEC would cut the lead to 12 late but that is as close as the Pilgrims would get as the Hawks would close out the game shooting 42% from the field and 88% from the foul line.
Roger Williams’ Nicole Atchue (N. Grafton, Mass.) finished with 10 points and six rebounds, while Spagnola chipped in 14 points for the Hawks.
Leading the way for NEC was Rachel Williams (Chapel Hill, N.C.) who finished with a game-high 20 points and pulled down eight rebounds. NEC’s Jenny Bronson (Morgan, Vt.) was the only other Pilgrims in double-digits finishing the afternoon with 14 points.
NEC returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 28 when they travel to take on conference opponent Gordon College. Roger Williams will host non-conference opponent Trinity College on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 7:00 p.m.
- News Release courtesy New England College Sports Information Office.