WPI 54, Smith 28 (1st Round NEWMAC Tournament) 

Worcester, MA --- The WPI women's basketball advanced to the NEWMAC Tournament semifinals for the fourth time in six years with a 54-28 win over visiting Smith on Wednesday evening. With the victory, the Engineers, the NEWMAC regular season champions, earn the right to host the semifinals and championship this weekend at Harrington Auditorium.

WPI senior forward Meghan Pajonas (Bristol, CT) tallied game-highs of 14 points and 14 rebounds en route to registering her eighth double-double of the season and sixth in the last eight games. Pajonas oddly enough had seven points and seven rebounds in each half as she equaled her career-best in rebounds, set last season in a home victory against Clark.

The Crimson and Gray (19-6) limited Smith to just four first half goals to help take a 18-11 advantage into the locker half at the break. After the Pioneers Helena Charron (Portland, ME) collected the first basket of the second half, WPI rattled off the next 11 points and would not see its lead shrink below double figures the rest of the way.

WPI outscored Smith 30-4 in the paint as Michele Perry (Pelham, NH) added to the attack with 10 points while Caitlin Macko (Cromwell, CT) and Kate Maki (Fitchburg, MA) chipped in with seven and six respectively. Freshman Kaileen Selen (Worcester, MA) gobbled up a career-best nine rebounds as the Engineers enjoyed a 42-27 edge in rebounding.

Smith (3-22) was paced offensively by freshman guard Lisa Marie Vuono (Lyndhurst, NJ) who scored a team-high 10 points while Sarah Posnak (Coral Gables, FL) added eight. Courtney Parker (Berlin, MD) hauled in eight boards for the Pioneers, who were making their first NEWMAC Tournament appearance since 2004.

WPI will host fourth-seeded Wheaton, a 74-72 winner over Clark, on Saturday at 4:30pm in the first semifinal. Second-seeded Mount Holyoke and sixth-seeded Babson will meet in the second semifinal at 6:30pm. The Lyons defeated Coast Guard 65-52 while Babson upset Springfield by a 66-63 score. The contests will be preceded at WPI by the NEWMAC men's semifinals at noon and 2:30pm.