Pride Stifle Chargers in GNAC First Round

WESTON, Mass. - Regis College's defense controlled Monday's contest against Colby-Sawyer College as the Pride defeated the Chargers, 60-32, in a first round contest in the 2024 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Women's Basketball Tournament at Higgins Court.

Madi Zancan (Cumberland, R.I.) notched her 12th double-double of the season as she led the Pride with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Courtney Doherty (Willimantic, Conn.) finished with 13 points. Erika Marinelli (Point Pleasant, N.J.) scored 10 points, Haley Lightbody (Reading, Mass.) also pulled down 11 rebounds to go along with five points, three assists, and three steals, and Emma Pollini (Derry, N.H.) contributed five points, two rebounds, and three steals off the bench.

Both teams struggled offensively through the first five minutes of the game as neither team made a field goal until Zancan hit a layup halfway through the first quarter. Zancan scored all nine Regis points in the opening period while the Pride held the Chargers to just a layup by Catherine Chick in the final minute of the period.

Doherty opened the second quarter with a three-pointer and two made free throws, followed by a three-pointer from Jordyn Striggles (Raynham, Mass.) to extend the Pride advantage to 17-2. Makenna Grillone hit two three-pointers to help Colby-Sawyer fight back, but three-pointers from Marinelli and Doherty late in the first half extended the Regis lead to 25-10 at halftime.

Regis outscored Colby-Sawyer 24-11 in the third quarter to put the game away, with each team scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter. For the game, the Chargers were held to 22.4 percent (11-for-49) field goal shooting, plus they committed 28 turnovers that led to 21 Regis points.

Grillone finished with eight points and three steals to lead the Chargers, while Courtney Brewster and Chick pulled down seven rebounds each. Colby-Sawyer's 2023-24 season concludes with an 8-18 overall record.

As a team, the Pride shot 30.6 percent (19-for-62) from the field, including 7-for-19 from behind the three-point line, and 78.9 percent (15-for-19) from the free throw line. Regis enjoyed a slight rebounding edge, 42-41, including 13 offensive boards that resulted in 20 second chance points.

Regis College (11-15) will head to West Hartford, Conn., to face University of Saint Joseph in a quarterfinal game of the 2024 GNAC Women's Basketball Tournament Tuesday, Feb. 20, starting at 5 p.m.