WPI 52, Mount Holyoke 42 - NEWMAC Quarters

Box Score    

Worcester, MA --- Serena Dubois (Bangor, ME) netted game-highs of 18 points and eight rebounds and Kaileen Selen (Worcester, MA) contributed 14 points and seven rebounds, leading top-seeded WPI to a 52-42 victory over eighth-seeded Mount Holyoke in the quarterfinals of the 2009 NEWMAC Tournament.

With the win, WPI improves to 21-5 and earns the right to host the semifinal and championship rounds this weekend.  Mount Holyoke sees its season come to an end with a 7-19 record.

Defense reigned supreme in a low-scoring first half, with the teams combining for only 37 points in the frame. With the score tied at four apiece, the Engineers embarked upon an 8-1 spurt to take a 12-5 advantage midway through the half. A 3-pointer by Selen with 3:05 to play before halftime gave WPI its largest lead of the half at 22-10 before the Lyons closed out the first half action with five unanswered points. Selen had nine points in the first stanza to pace the WPI attack, while Dubois recorded six points and five rebounds.

The Lyons kept the game close in the second half, pulling to within five in the opening minutes. After the Engineers pushed the lead back up to double digits at 30-20 with 11:56 to play, Mount Holyoke was able to cut WPI's advantage to seven on two separate occasions but could climb no closer.  Dubois would take control of the last eight minutes of the game, scoring 11 of her 18 points in that span to help WPI close out the win.

Elle Fontaine (Franklin, MA) chipped in with nine points, six rebounds and four blocks for the Engineers, while senior point guard Natasha Deschene (Presque Isle, ME) registered game-bests of five assists and three steals.

Mount Holyoke was led by Erin Cain (Quincy, MA) who posted totals of 11 points and eight rebounds on the night. Emma Washauer (Mill Valley, CA) added seven for the Lyons, while Tricia Chase (Feeding Hills, MA) scored all seven of her points in the final 4:37 as she tried to lead the Lyons back into the game late.  Katie Austen (Mount Sinai, NY) and Waschauer both dished out three assists for the visitors.

WPI will take on fourth-seeded Wheaton (16-10) in the semifinal round of the NEWMAC Tournament on Saturday at noon at Harrington Auditorium.  It will mark the tenth time in the last three seasons that the two teams will square off, including three straight times in the conference semis.  In the other semifinal, second-seeded Babson will take on third-seeded Springfield at 2pm. 

The games will be part of an exciting quadruple-header of NEWMAC tournament action, as  WPI will also host the men's semifinals at 4:30 and 6:30pm.  Both championships games are slated for Sunday.  

Story written by Ray Cotrufo '98 - WPI Athletics Department