Box Score DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Sophomore Megan Ronaghan (North Attleboro, Mass.) scored 24 points, including 16 in the second half, to help the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth post a 61-46 victory over visiting Western Connecticut State University this evening in a NCAA Division III women's basketball contest inside the Tripp Athletic Center.
The Corsairs (8-3) remain unbeaten in the Little East Conference at 2-0, while the Colonials (8-3) slipped to 0-2 in the conference circuit.
Ronaghan shot 68.8 percent (11-for-16) to lead three players in double digits in scoring. Senior guard Kelsey Garrity (Somerville, Mass.) filled out the box score with 11 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and five steals, while junior Beth Castantini (Newburyport, Mass.) recorded 10 of her 12 points in the first frame. Freshman Alicia Kutil (Franklin, Mass.) pulled in a game-high 11 rebounds to help UMass Dartmouth win the battle on the boards, 41-33.
Western Connecticut utilized a well-balanced scoring attack, led by sophomore Colleen Cosker's (East Hartford, Conn.) nine points. Senior Caroline Brasa (East Hartford, Conn.) battled foul trouble all game long, but still managed to score eight points. Freshman Nicole Mierzejewski (Meriden, Conn.) and classmate Kayla Briere (Wolcott, Conn.) combined for 15 points off the bench. Junior Kerri Stolle (Warren, Conn.) hauled in a team-best seven rebounds and handed out six helpers.
Cosker drained a three-pointer to give the Colonials their lone advantage of the contest (3-2), but the Corsairs responded with a mini 7-0 run—led by Castantini's five points—to take a lead they would never relinquish.
Castantini knocked down her second triple of the half to extend the advantage to 14-8, but Western Connecticut answered with six consecutive points to forge a 14-all tie. Mierzejewski closed the run with the final four points.
However, UMass Dartmouth used a 12-2 burst to build its first double digit lead of the evening. Sophomore Bri Hochwarter (Attleboro, Mass.) sparked the surge with a jumper, while the Corsairs scored eight consecutive points in the paint. Western Connecticut stemmed the tide with a three-pointer, but UMass Dartmouth registered the final five points of the half to take a 33-19 advantage into the locker room.
The Corsairs continued to apply the pressure in the opening seven minutes of the second stanza to balloon their advantage to a game-high 22 points. Ronaghan fueled the surge with six points, while Kutil closed the 14-6 run with a jumper.
The Colonials limited their hosts to just two points over the next seven minutes, while scoring 13 to whittle their deficit to 49-38. Briere started the surge with five consecutive points and capped the run with a layup.
Ronaghan netted the next six UMass Dartmouth points to help the Corsairs maintain their double digit advantage for the reminder of the evening.
UMass Dartmouth connected on 42.4 percent (25-for-59) of its attempts from the field, while limiting Western Connecticut to 31.5 percent (17-for-54). The Corsairs forced 15 turnovers, including 12 steals, while committing only 12 of their own.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action at 1 p.m. on Jan. 10, when the Corsairs travel to Little East Conference rival Southern Maine.
