Hidalgo opened the scoring for Tech, tallying its first seven points of the game. MCLA tied the game at 14:15 and went on to take its first lead (10-8) on a three-pointer by Betsy Willis. After the Trailblazers buildt up a four-point margin, MIT knotted the game at 16-16 with 8:29 in the half. Both squads traded baskets until MCLA went on an 11-5 run to take a six point (31-25) advantage at the intermission.
In the opening minutes of the second stanza, Rayna Zacks ignited an 11-4 run for MIT, with the Engineers regaining the lead (36-35) at the 16:12 mark. A three-pointer by the Trailblazers’ Catherine Saad followed by a basket by Tech’s Samia Mahjub gave the game its fourth tie. MCLA went on to outscore MIT, 9-3, over the next five minutes. MIT slowly chipped away at the margin and then took its largest lead of the half (49-47) on a three-pointer by Michal Ruchelsman.
The lead changed hands for the ninth time when MCLA’s Ashley Clark went 3-of-4 from the charity stripe in back-to-back possessions. Lauren Tsai’s free throws at the 7:20 mark gave MIT a one-point advantage (51-50). Two consecutive baskets by Kristen Lewis helped the Trailblazers take a three-point lead with five minutes remaining. A free throw by Tsai and Mahjub coupled with a basket by Maria Hidalgo gave Tech a 55-54 lead at 1:53. Less than a minute later, Betsy Willis drained her fourth basket from behind the arc to give MCLA a two-point advantage. On the ensuing possession, Hidalgo set up Rayna Zacks for the tying basket with 36 seconds remaining in regulation. A missed jumper by Ashley Clark was rebounded by Samia Mahjub with six seconds left on the clock. Mahjub found Andrea Dooley who set up Hidalgo for the game-winning basket.
Samia Mahjub finished the night with 11 points and five rebounds while Rayna Zacks tallied 10 points and a team-high six boards.
For MCLA, Catherine Saad and Betsy Willis each totaled 14 points. Saad snagged eight caroms while Willis went 4-of-6 from three-point range. Kelly O’Brien contributed nine rebounds to the Trailblazers’ cause.
The next game for MIT will be on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 3:00 p.m. when it hosts NEWMAC foe Clark University.