Box Score BRISTOL, R.I.--Senior captain Sam McCann scored a team-high 15 points and junior Amanda Lopez added a career-best 12 off the bench, but Western New England couldn't hold on to a late lead in a heartbreaking 54-53 loss to Roger Williams in Commonwealth Coast Conference women's basketball action at the RWU Campus Recreation Center on Thursday evening. This game was rescheduled from Wednesday due to the winter storm affecting the region.

Angelica Ariola--who led the Hawks (12-6 overall, 9-2 CCC) with a game-high 19 points--made two free throws with 15 seconds remaining to account for the final scoring margin and give the Hawks their first lead since the 15:19 mark of the second half.

The Golden Bears had two good looks at the basket in the final 7 seconds but the shots were off their marks. Coming out of a WNE timeout, sophomore Sammie Olson 3-pointer from the left wing skipped off the back end of the rim. The rebound went off a RWU defender so WNE retained possession. Following another Golden Bears timeout, junior Chelsea Vujs' (10 points, 5 assists) contested mid-range jumper hit the rim with 2.5 ticks left. Olson grabbed the offensive rebound on the left side, but before she could release the put-back time had expired to send the Golden Bears (10-7 overall, 5-6 CCC) to their first three-game losing streak of the season.

A jumper by McCann and three free throws by Vujs and Olson gave WNE a 48-41 lead--its largest of the contest--at the 6:48 mark of the second half.

Mariah Nicholas (4 points) made a layup and Rachel Battista (13 points) sank a three-pointer to ignite a 12-5 run to tie 53-all for the Hawks, who held the Golden Bears without a point for the final 91 seconds.

Western New England made up for a .351 field goal percentage by forcing 13 RWU turnovers to yield 16 "free" points to six for the Hawks.

In a see-saw game that saw six ties and 13 lead changes, Roger Williams had its largest lead of five points, 21-16 at 5:56 left in the first half. The Hawks took a 24-23 lead into the locker room at the intermission.

The Golden Bears held a commanding 40-29 advantage on the boards, led by Vujs with nine rebounds to lead all student-athletes. Bridget Quilty came off the Hawks bench to grab six caroms and she added four blocked shots and 12 points on 6-for-11 shooting from the field.

Western New England returns home to the Alumni Healthful Living Center on Saturday against CCC foe Curry, starting at 1 p.m. The game is part of festivities for the 16th annual Girls & Women in Sports Day hosted by the Golden Bears.

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