Newport, RI --- WPI Women's Basketball's Ava Hyams (Kearny, NJ) led the Engineers with a double double as a fourth quarter comeback stalled in a 61-55 setback at Salve Regina on Saturday afternoon. 

surged back in the final quarter outscoring the hosting Seahawks 18-13 but dropped a NEWMAC contest at Salve Regina, 61-55, on Saturday afternoon.

With the loss, WPI falls to 12-9 overall and 3-4 in NEWMAC play as Salve Regina improves to 7-14 and 1-6 in conference action.

The hosting Seahawks played efficiently securing a 21-14 advantage after the opening quarter of play on 53.33% shooting from the field. Salve Regina's Sofia Neary (Wayne, NJ) paced the action for the hosts with 11 first quarter points.

Kayla Goldrick (Attleboro, MA) knocked down a pair of threes in the second quarter to push the offense for the Engineers accompanied by Hyams layups to stay within reach as Salve Regina led 34-26 with 2:46 remaining before Neary converted on a pair of free throws as the hosts enjoyed a 10-point lead heading into intermission.

Ava Giansiracusa (Whethersfield, CT) kickstarted the offense in the third stanza with a three-pointer followed by a bucket from Hyams to cut the deficit to seven with 8:49 remaining. Salve Regina's Neary scored the first eight points of the third to push the lead over the visiting Engineers back to double-digits at 44-31. Allison Fullem (Underhill, VT) and Megan Stone (Hanson, MA) responded with good jumpers before Frankie Spadorcia (Braintree, MA) chipped in with four points to give the hosts a 48-37 lead heading into the final quarter of play.

The Crimson and Gray fired back starting with a trifecta from Leila Nielsen (New York, NY) which opened the gates for WPI as the trio of Hyams, Giansiracusa and Nielsen accounted a 14-1 run spanning over the first 4:26 of the fourth to take the lead at 51-49. Neary then added five of the Seahawks' next 10 points to regain the advantage and close out WPI for the win, 61-55.

Hyams led the Engineers with a 13-point and 11-rebound double-double with an assist and pair of steals in the setback. Allyn and Giansiracusa rounded out double-digit scoring with 11 and 10 points respectively. Salve Regina's Neary registered her fourth 30-plus point outing on the season in addition to 17 rebounds, two steals and a block on the afternoon in Newport.

WPI returns home again on Wednesday at 7:30pm to face Coast Guard on the back end of a rare NEWMAC same-school men's and women's basketball doubleheader with the Bears.  Salve Regina wraps up a brief two-game homestand on Wednesday, hosting Mount Holyoke for a 7pm tipoff.