BRISTOL, R.I. – The Endicott women's basketball team traveled to Roger Williams on Thursday evening for a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) matchup. Senior Samantha Crough (Cohasset, Mass.) tallied 29 points in the 78-77 OT victory to reach a career 1,000 point milestone. The Gulls move to 8-3, (4-1 CCC) while the Hawks fall to 9-3, (4-1 CCC).
The matchup was a battle from the beginning as the first half was a tight game, where the Hawks just outscored the Blue and Green 36-29. Crough led the half for the Gulls scoring 15 points, following in her stead sophomore Kelsey Cuddy (Madison, Conn.) posted seven points and four rebounds.
In the opening minutes the game went bucket for bucket and at 16:55 Crough gave the Gulls their first and only lead until the overtime period after nailing a quick jumper. Roger Williams answered back by scoring nine unanswered points in their favor to make it a 14-6 game. With 12 minutes remaining in the first half Crough and Cuddy each hit important shots to get within five points of the Hawks.
Roger Williams would not back down as they took their largest lead of the half at 9:53 when sophomore Alyssa Otis (Prospect, Conn.) nailed a basket in the paint to increase the lead to 11. Endicott would not go away quietly as sophomore Nicole Catizone (Woburn, Mass.) and Cuddy each drained two shots from down town to make it a 28-25 score. In the final seconds of the first half Catizone drained two from the charity mark to end the half 29-36 in Hawks favor.
The second half was a bigger battle that ended in the Gulls favor as they outscored the Hawks 40-33 while they shot perfect from the free throw line and shot 47% from inside the arc. The opening minutes were similar to the first half as it went point for point with each side. After Ariola drained two shots from long range to increase the lead to 10, junior Kayleen Whall (Foxboro, Mass.) worked hard in the paint to earn a quick two points that sent a spark through Endicott as they took over from that point on.
At 11:21 senior Jennifer White (Lisbon, N.H.) got a quick three points after earning a layup followed by a free throw for the and one to make it a 54-52 game. The match was close for the final minutes, with less than two remaining in the game freshman Katie Lowerre (Sharon, Mass.) made it a 69-67 game. However Whall would not give up as she dribbled hard to the basket with four seconds on the clock to tie up the game and force and overtime period.
The overtime period was all Gulls as they made a seven point run in the opening minutes with huge efforts from Cuddy and Whall. Ariola made it a three point game with 1:44 remaining, followed by a layup by Kaitlyn Bovee in the final seconds to get within one but it was not enough as the Gulls held strong to take the victory.
The win was an overall team effort as four Gulls scored in double digits while they also added another member to the 1,000 point club. Crough becomes the ninth member of the Endicott women's basketball program to reach the career milestone when she scored her 27th point in tonight's contest.
The Blue and Green will tip off next on Saturday, January 11 at Curry for a 1:00 p.m. tip off. Roger Williams will also take the court again on Saturday when they travel to Wentworth for a 1:00 p.m. start.
