WORCESTER -- Ruth Lanouette (Devon, PA) had a steal that led to the game-winning basket with 1:16 remaining, Riley O'Sullivan (Glen Ridge, NJ) delivered a key block with 53 seconds to go, and Mary Lobon (Valencia, Spain) canned four throws in the final 35.7 seconds to propel visiting MIT to a thrilling 53-51 victory over WPI in a NEWMAC women's contest played Wednesday evening inside Harrington Auditorium.  
 
With the result, both teams are 1-1 in conference action while MIT is now 6-9 overall while WPI dips to 10-6 on the season.
 
The two teams were deadlocked for the seventh and final time at 44-44 before an Allison Fullem (Underhill, VT) conventional 3-point play but WPI ahead 47-44 with 2:41 to go.  MIT quickly answered with a Loben lay-in to get back with in one.  After both teams missed on their ensuing possession, Lanouette made a nifty anticipation play on the defensive end and made her third steal of the night and the ball three quarters of the way for layup to give MIT a 48-47 edge with 1:16 remaining.   O'Sullivan's block and five combined free   throws by Lobon and Lanouette kept WPI at bay in the final seconds despite late baskets by Ava Giansiracusa (Wethersfield, CT) and Fullum.
 
Fullum netted a season-high 11 points for the hosts while Emmy Allyn (Rutland, MA) also reached double figures with 10.  Giansiracusa finished with nine points and doled out a game-best six assists and five boards while Megan Stone (Hanson, MA) totaled six points on 3-of-4 shooting with three rebounds and two assists.
 
Lobon tallied 15 points and six rebounds,  O'Sullivan notched 12 points and five boards and Lanouette totaled 10 points.
 
The homestanding Engineers netted the first five points of the game but the visitors outscored the hosts 13-6 the rest of the way to lead by two points (13-11) after the first quarter.  Bolstered by five points off the bench from Delaney MacPhetres (Amherst, MA) and a three-ball from Emmy Allyn (Rutland, MA) highlighted a second quarter that saw WPI outscore MIT 15-9 and take a 26-23 lead into the locker room at the break.  MIT's Olivia Joseph (Newtown Square, PA) led all scorers with seven points in the opening half.
 
The third quarter featured the most scoring of the game, with WPI accounting for 17 of the frame's 33 points - despite seven from Lobon - to take a 43-39 advantage into the fourth.  WPI then was unable to register a bucket in the final stanza until Fullem's 3-point play with 2:41 left.
 
Both teams continue NEWMAC play on Saturday at 1pm.  WPI ventures to Springfield to take on the Pride while MIT welcomes Babson to Cambridge.