Box Score

DUDLEY, Mass. – Senior Hayley Zophin (Framingham, Mass.) scored a season-high 19 points and grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds as the Nichols College women's basketball team fell to Western New England University 54-49 in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action Saturday afternoon at the Nichols Athletic Center.

Sophomore Alexis Wegrzynek (Wilbraham, Mass.) also recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds as the Bison moved to 2-2 (0-2 CCC) with the loss. Senior Emily Savino (Ellington, Conn.) led the Golden Bears (4-1, 2-0 CCC) with 19 points, eight assists and four assists.

Western New England knocked down seven 3-point field goals in the opening 12 minutes – including three from Savino and three more from junior Katie Eckert (Lee, Mass.) – to build a 24-13 lead. The Bison reeled off a 6-0 run to close the gap to five points with 2:19 remaining in the first half before the Golden Bears settled down defensively and took a 31-23 lead into the break. Zophin netted 11 points for Nichols while both Eckert and Savino notched 11 for the visitors.

The Golden Bears opened the second half on a 14-4 run and built a 45-27 lead, sparked by eight points from senior Alena Radzikowski (Medway, Mass.). Nichols clawed its way back into the game and found itself behind 50-41 with six minutes remaining behind six points each from Zophin and senior Kristina Lindgren (Sturbridge, Mass.).

The two teams went scoreless over the next four-and-a-half minutes before a layup by Wegrzynek with 1:28 on the clock made it a seven-point game (50-43). Following a missed shot at the other end of the floor, Wegrzynek was fouled and sank both free throws to make it 50-45 with 51 seconds remaining. However, a layup by sophomore Sam McMahon (Warren, Mass.) and two free throws from Savino sealed the win for the Golden Bears.

The Bison outrebounded the Golden Bears 45-38 but shot just 52 percent from the charity stripe. Lindgren finished with eight points and four rebounds while junior Devon Spirka (Wilmington, Vt.) racked up six assists and four steals.

For Western New England, Eckert finished with 11 points and six rebounds while freshman Chelsea Vujs (Berlin, Conn.) picked up four points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.

The Bison return to action on Tuesday with a 5:30 p.m. contest against Johnson & Wales (RI). Western New England heads to Wesleyan (CT) for a 7 p.m. contest on Tuesday.