BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Women’s Basketball team’s postseason hopes suffered a setback Tuesday evening with a 72-61 loss to Anna Maria College.
The loss drops the Hawks’ record in The Commonwealth Coast Conference to 4-6, placing them in a three-way tie for the eighth and final seed. RWU has three games left in the regular season to go, one of which is against Curry College, who also has a 4-6 record in the TCCC.
In the game, the AMCATS were led by Chelsea Blair, who started the game 8-for-8 from the field and finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds, both game-highs. Blair gave the Hawks trouble down low, as she grabbed seven offensive boards in the game and blocked two shots. Also contributing were Tonique Adams (New Haven, Conn.) with 17 points off the bench and Samantha Ashton (Worcester, Mass.) with 12.
Elizabeth Kilzi (Waverly, Pa.) led the Hawks with 16 points, including a career-high five three-pointers in the game. Ryan Weekes (Worcester, Mass.) added 13 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, with Carly Spagnola (Millbrook, N.Y.) going for ten points and four assists.
Roger Williams kept pace with Anna Maria in the first half, entering the break up by one in a period that saw three lead changes and four ties. The AMCATS led by as many as eight 4:24 to play in the half before a three-pointer by capped off a 9-0 Hawk run to give them a 27-26 lead.
The Hawks stretched the lead out to seven in the opening of the second half on baskets by Spagnola and Weekes while holding Anna Maria scoreless for the first 3:19. Ashton’s jumper in the paint put Anna Maria on the board, sparking a 16-9 run that knotted the game a 44 with 12:43 to go.
Ashton would hit a layup to give the AMCATS the lead that they would not give up over the remainder of the contest. RWU trailed by five at one point before a jumper by Kate Malenczak (Sayville, N.Y.) made it 49-52 game at the 9:36 mark. Roger Williams would be stuck on 49 for almost the next five minutes while the deficit extended to eight. The scoring drought would essentially seal the victory for Anna Maria.
Anna Maria (10-12, 2-8 TCCC) takes on New England College Saturday at 1:00 p.m., while Roger Williams (8-14, 4-6 TCCC) travels to Regis College Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. game.