By Simmons College Athletics
First-year guard Francesca Corsinetti (Johnston, R.I.) scored 12 points to lead the Simmons College women’s basketball team to a 57-44 victory over visiting Wheelock College last Monday evening at Moore Gymnasium on the campus of Simmons in Boston, Mass. The Sharks improve to 1-2 on the season, while the Wildcats fall to 1-1.
Simmons shot 45.8 percent (11-24) from the floor in the second half and scored 21 points in the third quarter to take a 44-31 advantage after three periods and put the game out of reach.
Corsinetti added seven rebounds, two assists, and a pair of steals for Simmons as well. Junior guard Jamie Zoldy (Watertown, Conn.) chipped in with nine points, including 7-8 from the free throw line and added four rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a blocked shot, while senior guard Gracie Rolfe (Newton, Mass.) netted nine points on 4-6 from the floor in addition to a pair of rebounds in 14 minutes of play. Junior forward Ashley McAdams (Freeport, N.Y.) grabbed 10 rebounds to go with two points and two assists.
Junior forward Michelle Woods (Wilmington, Mass.) converted a lay-up at the 9:38 mark of the second quarter to become the fourth player in Wheelock history to score 1,000 career points and the first since 2010. She finished the game with eight points and now has 1,005 for her career. She also added three rebounds and two assists. First-year forward Katie Walsh (East Islip, N.Y.) posted a double-double of 16 points and 19 rebounds to lead the Wildcats in addition to three steals and a block. Junior forward Kayla Corshia (Medway, Mass.) dropped in 11 points, including three trifectas, and also pulled down two rebounds and dished out an assist.
The Sharks jumped out to a 12-5 lead with 2:30 left in the first quarter, fueled by seven points from Corsinetti. Wheelock scored five of the last seven points of the quarter and continued its momentum into the second period with a 9-4 run to open the quarter and take a 19-18 edge with 45 seconds left in the half. Corshia scored five points during the run for the visitors. Simmons closed out the half with five unanswered points, including three free throws from first-year forward Lauren Brandau (Madison, Conn.), to take a 23-19 lead.
The Sharks put together a 14-3 stretch in the first five and a half minutes of the third quarter capped by a lay-up from junior guard Kimberlee Hixon (Taunton, Mass.) to give the home team its largest lead of the night at 37-22 with 4:29 left in the quarter. Corshia later knocked down a three-pointer with 2:10 showing in the quarter to pull the Wildcats to within 40-31. Simmons scored the final four points of the period to take a 44-31 lead into the final quarter of play.
The Sharks opened up a 15-point lead at 48-33 with 6:23 remaining in the contest before Wheelock ripped off seven straight points, closing to within 48-40 with 1:44 to go in the game. It was as close as the Wildcats would get for the remainder of the contest as Simmons came away with a 57-44 win.
Simmons will be in action again on Thursday, Dec. 3, when it takes on Fisher College at 7:30 p.m. in a home court match-up.
