WBB Comes Up Short at Coast Guard

NEW LONDON, Conn. - Trailing by 10 points with just over three minutes remaining, the Mitchell College women's basketball team staged a late rally but came up short, 59-56, Monday night at the Coast Guard Academy.

Senior Jennifer Iglesias scored a season-high 28 points to lead all scorers, but it wasn't enough for the Mariners on the night. Four players scored in double figures for the Bears, led by 12 points apiece from Carin Sweeney and Allison Majcher. Coast Guard (6-16 overall) snapped a four-game losing streak while Mitchell (10-11 oveall) had a three-game winning streak snapped.

The Bears led by as many as 15 in the second half, 49-34 with 7:29 left, before Mitchell used a 16-4 run to cut the deficit to 53-50 with 1:22 to go. Iglesias, who netted 23 of her points in the second half, scored 13 of the Mariners' final 15 points.

Sweeney made four straight free throws, a pair with 1:02 left and two more with 35 seconds left, for a 57-50 lead. Iglesias answered with a three-pointer with 21 seconds remaining before Coast Guard's Sabrina Taylor made a pair of free throws with 20 seconds left for a 59-53 advantage. Iglesias hit another deep trey with six seconds left to close out the scoring.

Junior Alix O'Neil added seven points and a team-high nine rebounds for Mitchell. Freshman Kaylee Cerruto chipped in with nine points off the bench.

Melissa Martinelli added 11 points for Coast Guard while Karli Collins notched her second career double-double with 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Leslie Hunt added a career-high eight rebounds while Sweeney also had eight boards for the Bears.

The Bears never trailed in the first half and matched their largest lead of eight following a deep three-point buzzer-beater by Sabrina Taylor at the end of the half for a 32-24 lead.

Coast Guard shot 41.1 percent from the floor (23-of-56) while making 2-of-6 from three-point range. Mitchell shot 32.8 percent from the field (20-of-61) and hit 8-of-27 from behind the arc (29.6 percent).

Mitchell returns to conference play on Thursday, February 18 against Newbury College. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. at the Yarnall Athletic Center.