Tournament MVP Jen Ashton had 10 points, 8 assists and 8 steals in a 62-51 win over WPI. In the opening game of the WPI Classic vs. Johnson & Wales the sophomore guard racked up 10 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists and 5 steals.
WORCESTER – Tournament MVP Jen Ashton (Beverly, MA) tallied 10 points, eight assists and eight steals to catapult Westfield State past host WPI, 62-51, at the WPI Women’s Basketball Holiday Classic Monday afternoon.
The Owls are 8-4 on the season while WPI, which saw its three-game winning streak end, is now 6-4. The match-up pitted the two teams that each won games on Sunday during the opening day of the prescheduled tournament.
Senior guard Briana Kelly (Hamden, MA) scored the first five points of the game as the Owls jumped out to an early 5-0 lead. A Kelly Morgan (Brookline, NH) jumper and a three from Dani Davis (East Granby, CT) helped the Engineers back into the match.
The teams traded leads seven times and stayed close for the remainder of the half that ended in a 27-27 deadlock. Morgan led the Engineers in the first half tallying eight points while Davis pulled down 10 rebounds and pitched in five points.
After an even first half, the Engineers never saw the lead again. With 7:30 remaining, a jumper by senior Theresa Logan (Southboro, MA) got WPI within one, but the Owls went on a 16-2 run that stifled the Crimson and Gray and gave the visitors a 15-point lead, the largest of the game. Ashton scored eight of her 10 points during the run, while sophomore center and all-tournament team selection Gabby Felix (Springfield, MA) added six of her game-high 16 during the Owls scoring burst.
Senior reserve guard Angela Patterson (Nantucket, MA) was one of three Westfield State players to garner double digits, putting away 11 points, including draining 3-of-4 3-pointers, in 10 minutes of action. Tayler Travis (Somerset, MA) pulled down six boards while Felix hauled in five.
Davis dominated the glass grabbing a game-high 11 boards, and added seven points and two steals. Morgan led the Engineers with 10 points, while freshman Lisa Mendez (Yonkers, NY) and junior Siena Mamayek (Melrose, MA) added eight apiece. Logan drained two buckets and went 2-of-2 from the free throw line and Haili Welton (Southbury, CT) chipped in with six points.
Joining Ashton and Logan on the All-Tournament team were Felix, Shantel Hanniford (Nantucket, MA) of Trinity and Jenna Juron (Burnt Hills, NY) from Johnson & Wales. Earlier in the day Trinity defeated Johnson & Wales 68-64.
The contest marked the final non-conference game of the season for WPI. The Engineers, who are 2-2 in NEWMAC play, continue conference action on Saturday, hosting Coast Guard at 1:00.
Westfield State is back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 2, entertaining Smith at 5:30 in its final non-conference game this season. The Smith-Westfield game will be video streamed live on the internet at www.mascac.tv.
Westfield begins MASCAC action this Saturday, Jan. 5, at Salem State.
