WPI 69, Elms 35
Box Score
Worcester, MA --- Host WPI utilized the offensive glass to its
fullest as the Engineers defeated the Blazers 69-35 in the opening
game of the 2006 WPI Invitational Women's Basketball Tournament at
Harrington Auditorium on Saturday afternoon.
WPI (5-4), which had 21 offensive rebounds in the game, will
face Tufts in the championship game on Sunday at 3pm. Elms drops to
3-6 on the season and will face Plattsburgh State at 1pm Sunday in
the consolation contest. The Jumbos defeated the Cardinals 61-37 in
the second game Saturday afternoon.
After falling behind, 7-2, in the first two minutes, the
Engineers battled their way back courtesy early Elms foul trouble.
WPI put together an 8-4 run to make it 11-10 Blazers. But after
that, the Crimson and Gray took firm control of the game, going on
a 13-7 run with five different Engineers figuring in the scoring.
Karen Krasko (North Branford, CT) and
Kaileen Selen (Worcester, MA) jump-started the
run, as Krasco put home an offensive rebound - one of 12 first-half
offensive boards for WPI - to give the Engineers the lead for good.
Selen then came up with a steal at midcourt on the next Elms
possession and took it the rest of the way for a layup.
WPI then went on a 12-0 run over the last 6:04 to take a 35-17
lead at the intermission.
Krasko extended the run into the second half, as she came up
with a steal in the defensive zone and brought it all the way back
for a layup. But Elms' Jenn Payton (Stratford, CT)
ended the Blazers scoring drought with a trifecta 27 seconds into
the half.
Nearly three minutes later, she would hit another 3-pointer to
get Elms within 16 points, which was the closest it would get the
rest of the way.
Michelle Perry (Pelham, NH) paced the Engineers
with 12 points and five rebounds, while Krasko added a season-high
11 points and eight rebounds. Selen chipped into the WPI effort
with nine points and nine rebounds. Point guards Natasha
Deschene (Presque Isle, ME) and Emily
Allietta (Sandwich, MA) combined for 13 assists on the
afternoon as the WPI bench outscored its Elms counterparts by a
32-2 margin.
Payton led all scorers with 15 points for Elms. Amanda
Brogna (Oxford, MA) also scored 11 points to help in the
Blazers scoring while Michele Fernandes (Danbury,
CT) and Paige Schneider (Windsor, CT) each dished
out three assists.
