Box Score DUDLEY, Mass.--Sophomore Sammie Battaini scored 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting to lead a balanced Western New England offense as the Golden Bears led wire-to-wire to defeat Nichols College, 69-59, in Commonwealth Coast Conference women's basketball action on Saturday at the Nichols Athletic Center. Western New England snapped a three-game road losing streak to improve to 13-8 overall and 8-6 in the CCC, while the host Bison fall to 5-16 and 2-12 in the conference.

Western New England connected on 45.3 (24-53) of its field goal attempts as every scorer registered at least five points. Freshman Dorothy O'Neill had 13, sophomores Emily Anderson, Sammie Olson each came off the bench to net 10, junior Chelsea Vujs posted nine (game-high 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals), senior captain Sam McCann had eight and sophomore Paige Young contributed five.

Senior captain Amber Litwinko led all scorers with 21 points to go along with six rebounds and five steals for Nichols, which shot 42.3 percent (22-52) from the field. Senior captain Alexis Wegrzynek added 11 points and four assists.

WNE opened up a quick 9-2 lead behind four points from McCann. O'Neill rattled home her second triple of the half at 8 minutes and 40 seconds remaining to push the Golden Bears lead to 12 (22-10), then a layup from Battaini 90 seconds later made it a 15-point game.

The visitors shot 50 percent from the field and settled into a 37-24 halftime lead behind 10 from O'Neill.

Baskets by McCann and Olson to open the second half gave the Golden Bears an 18-point lead before Nichols began to chip away. A jumper from junior Jessica Kelliher, followed by a layup from Litwinko, cut the Bison's deficit to 14 before a three from sophomore Taylor Daniels made it an 11-point game at 44-33.

Litwinko sank a layup to cut the WNE lead to single digits at 44-33, but two free throws from Anderson got the Golden Bears lead back to 14 with 11:54 to go. Over the next six minutes, Nichols climbed to within nine points on three different occasions and eight points once after Litwinko banged in a triple with 6:40 on the clock.

The Golden Bears moved back in front by 12 with five to go, and the closest the Bison got down the stretch was 65-57 following a pair of free throws from freshman Brooke Packard.

Western New England was aggressive in the paint by outscoring NC 30-20 and getting 15 offensive rebounds for 14 second-chance points. The team also forced 18 turnovers to get 19 points off those Bison miscues. The Golden Bears outscored the Bison 18-11 at the free throw line.

The Golden Bears host Wentworth for Senior Day at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Alumni Healthful Living Center field house. The Bison head to Beverly, Mass., for a 7:30 p.m. contest with Endicott on Tuesday.

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(Editor's note: Nichols Sports Information contributed to this game recap.)