Quick second-half start propels Wheaton to 68-52 win against Suffolk

December 6, 2006

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College women's basketball team turned a 33-28 halftime lead into a 47-28 advantage just 5:22 into the second half and never looked back, as the Lyons turned in a 68-52 non-conference triumph over Suffolk University on Wednesday night at Emerson Gymnasium. Wheaton collected its second straight win to improve to 4-3, while the Rams saw their record fall to 3-3 overall.

Wheaton jetted out to a 7-0 advantage as three different players scored baskets on assists by senior Casey Sorbara (Port Chester, NY/Trinity Catholic), and the Lyons led nearly the entire opening half. Wheaton's biggest advantage was by eight, which occurred twice, first at the 10:22 mark when sophomore Bri Smith (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) buried a three for a 16-8 lead. Suffolk knotted the score at 26 with 2:26 remaining following a 6-0 spurt, but a three from junior Becky Aitchison (Norwalk, CT/Trinity Catholic) put the Lyons back in front en route to their five-point halftime lead.

Including the last 1:14 of the opening half, Wheaton held the Rams scoreless for nearly seven minutes, as the Lyons went on an 18-0 run and didn't allow Suffolk to get back on the board until the 14:17 mark of the second stanza. Sorbara was huge for the Lyons during that spurt, coming up with four steals, two assists and a bucket as Wheaton scored the frame's first 14 points. Aitchison provided eight points during the spurt en route to her season-high 19-point performance. The Rams cut their deficit into single digits with a little more than six minutes left in the half, but the hosts responded with nine unanswered points to seal the victory.

Wheaton shot 46.4 percent from the floor compared to Suffolk's 34.6 percent, as 17 of the Blue and White's 26 field goals were assisted. The Lyons held a 40-30 rebounding advantage while forcing the Rams into 28 turnovers. The hosts also knocked down 80.0 percent of their free throw attempts, with Suffolk finishing at a 78.9 percent clip.

Aitchison's 19 points came on 9-of-14 shooting to go along with her seven rebounds, while Sorbara finished her all-around solid showing with nine points and game-high totals of seven assists and six steals. Senior Kim McCormack (Milton, MA/Milton) posted six points and pulled down a game-best nine boards, while freshman Ida Kruse (Vershire, VT/Rivendell Academy) had seven markers with four caroms.

Junior Stephanie Morrissey (Abington, MA/Tabor Academy) was one of two double-figure scorers for the Rams with 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting as a reserve. Morrissey added a team-best five rebounds and team-high-tying three steals, while freshman Stephanie Zito (Guilford, CT/Guilford) posted 11 points, four boards and three steals.

The Lyons look to complete their five-game homestand on a high note Saturday afternoon against non-conference foe Salve Regina University at 1:00 p.m.

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