Rebecca Sapouckey drains a game-tying three-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation against Smith College. Westfield fell 111-103 in overtime in the highest scoring game in Owls’ history. (Courtesy of Westfield State University Sports)
WESTFIELD – Smith College had three players score more than 20 points, as the Pioneers outlasted Westfield State 111-103 in overtime in a non-conference women’s basketball game at the Woodward Center on Saturday afternoon.
Smith improves to 5-3 on the season, while Westfield falls to 4-4. The game is the highest scoring game in Westfield history with the two clubs combining for 214 points.
The Pioneers trailed Westfield 71-62 entering the fourth quarter, but Smith scored the first 10 points out of the break to grab the lead 72-71 on a short Erin Hanley (St. Gnatius/San Francisco, Calif.) jumper with 6:42 to play. The two teams traded body blows throughout the fourth quarter. Smith led 91-86 with 1:27 to play after a Sydney Koh (Lakeside/Seattle, Wash.) three-pointer and 92-88 with 42 seconds left after a Hanley free throw.
Westfield staged its own rally with a jumper from Jill Valley (Mahar/Orange, Mass.) while surrounded by defenders in the paint to cut the lead to 92-90 with 30 seconds left, and after Jade Chihara (Lahaina, Hawaii) made 1 of 2 free throws for Smith, the Owls’ center Rebecca Sapouckey (Granby/Chicopee, Mass.) hit a three-pointer with seven seconds left that forced the overtime period at 93-all.
Smith scored the first five points of overtime on a layup by Kennedy Guest-Pritch (Lawrenceville/Fairburn, Ga.), a Paige Marquez (St. Ignatius/San Francisco, Calif.) free throw, and a layup by Guest-Pritch, and were able to hold the Owls at arms’ length for the rest of the extra stanza. Westfield cut the lead to three on a pair of free throws by Kirsy Segarra (Holyoke, Mass.), with 2:27 left, and cut the lead to four, 107-103 with a Lucy Barrett (Mt. Greylock/Williamstown, Mass.) three-pointer, but Smith made 4 of 6 free throws in the closing seconds to preserve the win.
Mandy Castro (Poway/San Diego, Calif.) led Smith with 25 points, Hanley added 23, and Guest-Pritch was dominant inside with 24 points and 22 rebounds. Six pioneers finished in double-figures in scoring. Smith shot 60.7 percent from the floor for the game (37-61) and 50 percent from three point range (7-14).
The Pioneers 30 made free throws were also the most an opponent has even converted against Westfield State, and Smith’s 46 tries tied the most ever by an Owls’ opponent.
Westfield forced the Pioneers into 44 turnovers (matching the most forced by a Westfield team) and the Owls came away with 23 steals. Smith held a 59-41 edge in rebounds. Westfield had five players finish in double-figure scoring led by 20 from Valley. Kierra McCarthy (Ludlow, Mass.) added 17 points and Segarra 16. Westfield finished 37-104 from the floor (35.6 percent) and the 104 field goal tries are the second-most in school history. Westfield launched 42 three-point tries but made just seven on the afternoon.
Westfield State will be back in action on Wednesday evening with a game at UMass-Boston. Smith will play at Bridgewater State on Thursday night. – Courtesy of Westfield State University Sports
