United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics - Women's Basketball - Springfield Knocks Off Bears in NEWMAC Semifinals

NORTON, MASS.--(3/1/08)--Third-seeded Springfield College saw a 10-point lead with five minutes remaining dwindle to one, but the Pride held on to defeat number two United States Coast Guard Academy, 58-57 in the semifinal round of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament on Saturday in Wheaton College's Emerson Gymnasium. Five-time league champion Springfield, which is now 16-10, advanced to its seventh NEWMAC final in eight years and will face the top-seeded Lyons tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. Coast Guard fell to 22-5 and awaits word on a possible ECAC bid, which will be announced on Monday.

Freshman Amelia Sapowsky's three-point play put Springfield up 54-44 with 5:19 remaining in regulation before an 11-2 Coast Guard rally brought the Bears within one point 3:02 later. Senior Corinne McCormack hit consecutive three-pointers from the top of the key 38 seconds apart to create a two-point deficit, and classmate DeCarol Davis canned a trey from the same spot to bring Coast Guard within 56-55 at 2:17. Springfield junior Lauren O'Connor's two free throws with 26.6 ticks remaining were matched by Bear sophomore Melissa Martinelli's offensive rebound and putback with 7.8 seconds to go.

After Springfield missed the front end of a one-and-one with 6.9 ticks left, Coast Guard gained possession after a scramble and inbounded with 1.9 seconds remaining but was unable to fire off a shot.

The frantic finish capped a game that was full of runs. Springfield trailed by one point early in the contest before seven straight on 3-of-5 shooting put the Pride on top, 8-2 at 15:58 of the opening period. Coast Guard responded with an 8-0 run during a quick 1:29 span, as McCormack had five points. However, freshmen Kate LaBelle and Rachelle Walker hit back-to-back threes 46 seconds apart, and the Pride sprung back ahead, 14-10 at 9:04.

Coast Guard drew within two on senior Natalie Moyer's lay-up at 8:15, but Springfield later used seven straight points to go up by 10 at 24-14. The Bears finished the first period with five of the stanza's final seven points, as freshman Jennifer Tamminen hit a three-pointer from the far corner with four seconds remaining to cut the Pride's lead to 28-24 at halftime.

Springfield led thanks to a 5-of-9 showing from beyond the arc during the first 20 minutes, while the Bears were hurt by 12 giveaways and 2-of-13 three-point shooting. McCormack nearly had a double-double by intermission with nine points and eight rebounds to go along with three blocks. Walker and senior Tara McCarthy each had a team-high six points for Springfield.

The Pride twice extended its lead out to nine points early in the second half, but the Bears came within 41-40 on McCormack's three with 11:50 remaining. A 13-4 run put the Pride up by 10, as Sapowsky provided five of the points, and Springfield looked to be in command with a 54-44 advantage at 5:19 before Coast Guard rallied.

Walker was Springfield's high scorer with 12 points on four three-pointers, while O'Connor had 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists. McCarthy added eight points and seven boards, as the Pride shot 9-of-17 from three-point range and finished with a 41.7 percent overall clip from the field.

McCormack led all scorers with a career-high 23 points, as she went 9-of-12 overall and 5-of-8 on three-point tries, while adding eight rebounds and five blocks. Martinelli turned in 17 points, and Moyer had seven rebounds, six assists and four steals. The Bears shot 7-of-29 from three-point range and 38.6 percent overall.