Posted: Dec 06, 2013

Bay Path "Wildcats" beat Wheelock "Wildcats"

SKIFFINGTON LEADS BAY PATH WOMEN'S BASKETBALL OVER WHEELOCK, 61-56

CHESTNUT HILL, MA – Senior forward Kayla Skiffington (East Longmeadow, MA) posted a double-double with game-highs of 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Bay Path College women's basketball team over host Wheelock College, 61-56, this evening in a New England Collegiate Conference game at Brunelli Court on the campus of Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, MA. Bay Path improves to 2-5 overall and 1-1 in NECC play, while the Wheelock falls to 1-6 and 0-2.

The teams were tied at 56-56 with 65 seconds left to play, before Bay Path netted the final five points of the night, while forcing Wheelock to turn the ball over twice in its final three possessions. Freshman forward Briana Kujawski (Webster, MA) converted a pair of free throws with 47 ticks remaining on the clock to put the visitors in front for good at 58-56.

Wheelock scored the first five points of the second half, including a three-pointer from freshman guard Jaime Grzych (Columbia, CT) to knot the contest at 30-30 with18:31 left in the period. Bay Path responded with an 11-4 run, including five points from senior guard Justine Hook (Berwick, PA), to take a 41-34 lead with 15:22showing in the second half. Bay Path maintained a 43-36 margin a little over a minute later, but the home team scored 12 of the next 14 points, fueled by eight points from senior guard Jessica Ramsey (Milford, MA), to take a 48-45 margin with 10:47 to go in the game. The teams traded the lead five times before being tied at 56-all with1:05 to play in the game.

Wheelock opened the game with an 8-2 run over the first 4:44 of play, but Bay Path countered with a 9-2 stretch, capped by a jumper from freshman guard Aaliyah Gordon (Springfield, MA), to take an 11-10 edge with 12:09 remaining in the first half. The teams traded the lead three times before Skiffington completed a three-point play with a free throw to pull Bay Path even at 19-19 with 6:19 showing on the first half clock. Wheelock reeled off six straight points to take a 25-19 advantage with 4:39 to go in the half, but Bay Path responded with the final nine points of the half to take a 28-25 halftime cushion.

Skiffington was 8-16 from the floor and a perfect 6-6 from the line, while registering a game-high six blocks and three steals to go with an assist for Bay Path. Hook finished with 17 points, including 8-10 from the line in addition to six rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals.

Freshman center Michelle Woods (Wilmington, MA) scored a team-high 18 points, grabbed eight boards, blocked two shots, made two steals and handed out an assist for Wheelock. Ramsey came off the bench to net 14 points and was 4-4 from the line, while blocking three shots, pulling down four rebounds and making a pair of steals. Freshman forward Shannon Garvey (Clarksburg, MA) dropped in 11 points, grabbed five rebounds and blocked a shot in 17 minutes off the bench.

Wheelock will be in action again on Saturday, December 7 when it heads to Leicester, MA to take on NECC foe Becker College in a 1:00 p.m. tilt, while Bay Path hosts Daniel Webster College on the same day at 1:00 p.m. in a game played at Elms College in Chicopee, MA.