Pride Earn First Win of Season Sunday

FRANKLIN, Mass. – The Regis College women's basketball team played its most complete game of the young season, executing on both ends of the court for a 72-52 victory over Clark University in the consolation game of the Dean Bulldog Tip-Off Tournament Sunday at Pieri Gymnasium.

Katryna Veasey (Quincy, Mass.) shot 6-of-8 from the field as she led the Pride with 15 points. Arie Searcy (Santa Rosa, Calif.), named to the All-Tournament Team, hit 6-of-9 shots from the field as she finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, and Nikki Bitinaitis (Cromwell, Conn.) hit three three-pointers as she collected 10 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.

Emily Sifferlen put Clark on the board with a traditional three-point play to start the game, but Regis quickly responded with a layup by Taylor Iorfino (Monroe, Conn.) and a three-pointer from Bitinaitis. The teams traded points for the next three minutes before Veasey scored six straight points to put the Pride on top, as Regis eventually held a 21-17 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

Regis put together a 9-2 scoring run over the first four minutes of the second quarter, forcing Clark to take a timeout. The Cougars closed to within seven on a jumper by Hannah Favaloro, but a three-pointer from Bitinaitis and a jumper by Pam Gonzalez (Revere, Mass.) extended the Pride lead to 37-25 at halftime.

After an even third quarter kept the Regis lead at 12 points, the Pride put together a 10-2 scoring run, featuring a three-pointer and an assist by Marissa Prall (Hopkinton, Mass.), to extend their advantage to 60-40. The Cougars scored the next four points, but Regis held off any further comeback by Clark on the way to the Pride's first victory of the season.

Clark (2-3) was led by Ginny Benbow and Hallie Johnson with 16 points apiece, with Johnson also grabbing eight rebounds. As a team, the Cougars shot just 25.8 percent (16-of-62) from the field, including 5-of-22 from behind the three-point line, and 51.7 percent (15-of-29) from the free throw line.

The Pride shot a season-best 44.6 percent (29-of-65) from the field, dishing out 23 assists on those made field goals. Regis won the rebounding battle, 53-42, led by Gonzalez with 10 rebounds and Iorfino with eight boards, plus it scored 22 points off 22 Clark turnovers.

Regis (1-4) opens its home schedule this week against Fisher College Wednesday, Nov. 20, starting at 6 p.m. The Pride then host WPI Saturday, Nov. 23, at 3 p.m., with the Tribute Ceremony honoring Julie Rando Ranucci '94 and Jen Erickson Baker '95 to take place at halftime.