WPI DOWNS ANNA MARIA IN WORCESTER CITY TOURNAMENT

Leicester, Mass. --- Game two of the 2011-12 Worcester City Women's Basketball Tournament saw the Engineers of WPI defeat the AMCATS of Anna Maria, 61-49, at the Leicester Gymnasium on Friday evening.

For WPI, Lauren Hannmann (East Greenbush, N.Y.) led all scorers with 17 points, shooting three of five from three-point range and seven of eleven overall. Theresa Logan (Southboro, Mass.) contributed 16 points with five rebounds. Cindy Chelius (Northfield, N.J.) led all rebounders with seven while adding four assists, three steals and four points. Kelly Morgan (Brookline, N.H.) added seven points and three assists for the Crimson and Gray while Dani Davis (East Granby, Conn.) scored seven points with four rebounds and three steals in just 13 minutes of playing time.

The AMCATS were led by Samantha Ashton (Worcester, Mass.) who had 15 points with five rebounds, three assists and a block. Kayla Cummings (Auburn, Me.) added 14 points, shooting six-of-eleven from the floor. Chelsea Blair (Holland, Mass.) contributed six points and six rebounds.

The opening minutes were highly competitive as the Engineers slowly pulled away, taking a 17-8 lead off a jumper by Logan 7:40 into the first half. With seven minutes remaining in the period, an AMCAT rally cut the lead to four after a layup by Ashton, with WPI leading 19-15. After a scoring lull that lasted six and a half minutes, WPI would respond with a run of their own, scoring seven straight points capped off by a layup by Taryn Roy (Stafford Springs, Conn.) and giving the Engineers an eleven point lead, 26-15. That would be the margin entering halftime as Roy scored another layup at the first half buzzer to give her team a 30-19 lead.

Anna Maria would open the second half on a 6-2 run to cut the deficit to seven as WPI would struggle from the floor. The Engineers would rely on their defense and some timely shooting to stay in control of the contest, as during one key stretch holding they held the AMCATS scoreless for nearly five minutes.

Hannmann scored two three pointers just moments apart to help WPI extend its lead to 15 with 9:16 remaining, with the Engineers up 45-30. Anna Maria would cut the lead to ten with 2:13 remaining on a shot by Cummings, but it was too little, too late for the AMCATS as WPI held on.

Anna Maria will face Becker College at 1:00 pm in the consolation game on Saturday afternoon.