WPI took command early, scoring the first 11 points of the game. The Engineers held Coast Guard scoreless on its first eight possessions of the game, forcing five missed field goals and three turnovers. Perry connected on six of nine first-half field-goals attempts en route to tallying 13 points and seven rebounds before intermission.
Like the first meeting of the season, a 58-43 WPI win in early February, the Engineers limited the potent Coast Guard perimeter attack. The Bears connected on just one-of-10 first half three-point attempts and trailed WPI 37-20 at the half.
Meghan Pajonas (Southlake, TX) collected 12 points, seven rebounds and four steals for WPI (16-9), which advances to the semifinals for the second time in three seasons. Emily Allietta (Sandwich, MA) and Ashley Zalucky (Troy, NY) added eight and seven points respectively while Sarah Doyon (Nashua, NH) equaled her season high with five assists.
Coast Guard was paced by Natalie Moyer (Oklahoma City, OK) who notched a game-best 26 points. Moyer, the NEWMAC’s leading scorer, ends her sensational sophomore campaign with a single-season school record 547 points (22.8 ppg). She tallied an eye-popping 73 points her last two games, including a New England season-high 47 last Saturday versus Babson.
Mary Bitzer (Longmeadow, MA) netted all three of her field-goal attempts for six points while Mary Arvidson (Saline, MA) corralled nine rebounds to go along with four points for the Bears. Coast Guard ends its season 11-15 overall.
In other NEWMAC action, top-seeded Springfield defeated eighth-seeded Wellesley 82-44 and fourth-seeded Clark upended fifth-seeded Babson 68-65. The Pride will meet the Cougars in Saturday’s second semifinal at 1pm. The championship game is slated for 1pm on Sunday.
Newspaper Box Score Coast Guard vs WPI 2/21/06 7:00pm at Worcester, MA At Worcester, MA WPI 64, COAST GUARD 46 COAST GUARD (11-15) Natalie Moyer 8-22 4-6 26; Mary Bitzer 3-3 0-0 6; Mary Arvidson 2-8 0-0 4; Laura Hutchinson 1-2 0-0 3; Regina Dunn 0-5 3-4 3; Katie Colella 1-2 0-1 2; Jen Makowski 1-6 0-0 2. Totals 16-48 7-11 46. WPI (16-9) Michelle Perry 8-15 1-2 17; Meghan Pajonas 4-5 4-5 12; Emily Allietta 3-7 0-0 8; Ashley Zalucky 3-6 0-0 7; Caitlin Macko 2-8 2-2 6; Taryn Mroczkowski 2-3 1-1 5; Sarah Doyon 1-4 2-3 5; Natasha Deschene 0-0 2-2 2; Kate Maki 0-5 2-2 2; Paige McAuliffe 0-0 0-0 0; Amber Dangelo 0-0 0-0 0; Yaminah Jackson 0-0 0-0 0; Karen Krasko 0-3 0-0 0; Tiffany Madsen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-56 14-17 64. Coast Guard................... 20 26 - 46 WPI........................... 37 27 - 64 3-point goals-Coast Guard 7-21 (Natalie Moyer 6-14; Laura Hutchinson 1-1; Regina Dunn 0-1; Katie Colella 0-1; Jen Makowski 0-4), WPI 4-17 (Emily Allietta 2-6; Ashley Zalucky 1-3; Sarah Doyon 1-3; Taryn Mroczkowski 0-1; Kate Maki 0-1; Caitlin Macko 0-3). Fouled out--Coast Guard-None, WPI-None. Rebounds-Coast Guard 29 (Mary Arvidson 9), WPI 41 (Michelle Perry 9). Assists-Coast Guard 7 (Natalie Moyer 3; Laura Hutchinson 3), WPI 14 (Sarah Doyon 5). Total fouls-Coast Guard 17, WPI 13. A-200