Boston, MA --- Ava Giansiracusa (Wethersfield, CT) sunk the ultimate game-winning layup with 10.0 seconds left on the clock during the first overtime to propel WPI women's basketball to a nail-biting 63-61 NEWMAC victory over Emerson on Wednesday evening.
 
WPI improves to 9-13 overall and 2-6 in NEWMAC action while Emerson dips to 15-7 on the season and 6-2 in conference play. 
 
The Engineers struck first on the scoreboard as Shannon Reno (Millbury, MA) opened with a layup, quickly followed by Megan Stone (Hanson, MA), who added to the momentum with another bucket at the 7:37 mark of the first quarter. Emerson responded immediately, with Charlotte Levison (Atherton, CA) sinking a three-pointer on the next possession to trim the gap to 4-3.
 
The scoring then stalled for eight possessions until Jessie Silk (Newton, MA) capitalized at the free-throw line, draining both shots to give Emerson a 5-4 lead with just over five minutes remaining. The visitors answered with a dominant 6-0 run, sparked by Alice Kelly (Wethersfield, CT), who knocked down back-to-back field goals, followed by a layup from Giansiracusa with 2:38 left, extending WPI's lead to 10-5.

Emerson kept pace with a 3-of-4 effort at the charity stripe from two different players, but WPI's Emmy Allyn (Rutland, MA) delivered a clutch three-point play and a driving layup to close out the quarter. The Engineers held a 15-12 advantage after one.
 
The second quarter opened with an exchange of missed shots before Silk broke the dry spell with a driving layup for the Lions. Claire English (Winchester, MA) followed up with a basket, briefly pushing Emerson ahead, 16-15. However, WPI quickly reclaimed control as Stone responded with a layup at the 8:21 mark.
 
The Engineers then surged ahead with another 6-0 run, fueled by two more buckets from Stone, extending their advantage to 23-17 with 5:49 remaining in the half. The teams traded baskets, with Frongillo sparking Emerson and Nielson keeping WPI in control. At halftime, the Engineers led 33-28.
 
Stone led the Engineers with 10 points at the half, with Allyn tallying eight points. Silk had 10 points for the Lions, and Frongillo added nine points.
 
WPI opened the second half with a quick 6-0 run, as Allyn, Caitlyn Dasaro (Fairfield, VT), and Stone extended the lead to 39-28. Emerson responded with a 7-0 surge, cutting the gap to 39-35. Giansiracusa then took control, scoring three straight baskets, with Dasaro adding to the push. Allyn capped the quarter with a buzzer-beating three, giving WPI a 50-37 lead heading into the fourth.
 
Levison kicked off the fourth with a three-point play, followed by a Frongillo bucket to spark Emerson. WPI answered with back-to-back baskets before a nearly four-minute scoring drought. Levison snapped the lull at 4:28 with a layup, igniting a 10-0 Emerson run that cut the deficit to 54-52 with 2:03 left.  
 
Stone's layup briefly steadied WPI, but Silk responded with two clutch free throws. With 27 seconds left, Giansiracusa added a point, but Frongillo's layup made it a one-point game, 57-56. Allyn missed both free throws, and English couldn't convert for Emerson, keeping the score intact. WPI fouled English, who hit 1-of-2 to tie it at 57-57 with 10 seconds left. The Engineers had the final shot but couldn't connect, sending the game to overtime.
 
Emerson struck first in overtime with quick buckets from Frongillo and Silk. WPI answered with a Kelly free throw and a Stone layup, keeping Emerson ahead 61-60 with 2:56 left. Both teams then endured a combined nine scoreless possessions, battling to close out the game. With 10 seconds remaining, Giansiracusa drove in for the game-winning basket, putting WPI up 62-61. Reno sealed the win at the line, securing a 63-61 victory for the Engineers.
 
Stone led the Engineers with a skillful 18 points and eight boards, shooting 9-of-12 of field goals. Allyn notched 13 points, five rebounds and a steal. Kelly added seven points and 10 assists, while Reno tallied three points, two steals and nine caroms. For the Lions, Frongillo notched a game-high 22 points and two blocks. Silk accounted for 14 points, six assists and two steals. Levison stuffed the stat sheet with eight points, eight rebounds, three assists, and four blocks. 
 
WPI shot 41.3% (26-of-63) on the evening while Emerson made 22-of-59 (37.3%) from the court. All of the stats were pretty even, WPI held a slight advantage in points in the paint, 36-32, and Emerson saw the only second chance points of the game, 3-0.

Both teams continue NEWMAC play for the next contest on Saturday. WPI is on the road for a 1pm tilt against Coast Guard, while Emerson hosts Wheaton for a 3:30pm matchup.