United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Women's Basketball - Martinelli Moves to 2nd in Scoring, Rebounding in Loss

MIDDLETOWN, CONN.--(12/7/09)--Melissa Martinelli moved into second place on the Bears’ all-time scoring and rebounding list as she finished with a team-high 21 points and seven rebounds, but Wesleyan used a 17-2 first half run leading the Cardinals to a 60-43 win over Coast Guard in a non-conference game between the two Connecticut schools.

Martinelli now has 1,464 points and 734 rebounds passing Lis Bosma (’05), who had 1,444 points and Ann Leu (’89) who had 733 career rebounds.

Wesleyan (3-2) led 26-14 at halftime and scored the first nine points of the second half to take a commanding 35-14 lead with 18:17 left in the game.

Coast Guard (2-3) would score seven straight cutting the deficit to 37-23 with 15:33 left, but that would be as close as the Bears would get the rest of the way as Wesleyan responded by scoring eight of the next nine points for a 45-24 lead with 12:20 left.

Martinelli scored the first four points of the game before Wesleyan score nine straight, seven of those by Melanie Ferdinand, for a 9-4 lead with 15:32 left. Martinelli then scored back-to-back baskets to make the score 9-8 before the Cardinals used the 17-2 spurt to take a 26-10 lead with 4:35 left in the first half.

Coast Guard would score just one field goal, a jumper by Carin Sweeney with 1:36 left, in the final 10:18 of the first half.

Wesleyan shot 38.5 percent (25-65) from the floor and five for 18 from 3-point range while Coast Guard shot 35.6 percent from the field (16-45) while making one of four from 3-point range.

The Cardinals dominated on the boards outrebounding Coast Guard 40-26 including 18 offensive rebounds.

The Bears will close out the first semester when they host Wellesley in a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) game on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.