Amoddio’s Double-Double Not Enough as Leopards Fall to Nichols

BOSTON, Mass. – The Wentworth Institute of Technology women's basketball team lost their road matchup with conference opponent Nichols College Saturday, Feb. 5, dropping an 88-65 decision to the Bison.

 
RECORDS 

• Wentworth 3-15 (1-11 CCC)
• Nichols 8-12 (4-9 CCC)

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 

• Points Leader: Gabby Amoddio (20)
• Rebounds Leader: Gabby Amoddio (10) 
• Assists Leader: Nattaly David (3) 
• Steals Leader: Gabby Amoddio (4) 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• The Bison jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the opening minutes, as Abrianna Vasquez (Dedham, Mass.), who had 20 points and nine steals on the day, drained a three pointer to get things started. Nichols' Summer Klein (Stamford, Conn.), the leading scorer in the game with 24 points, made a trio of baskets as the Bison took an 11-3 lead following a layup from junior guard Abriana Busbey (Palmer, Alaska). The home team continued to add to their lead, as Leandra Ortiz (Ridgewood, N.Y.) scored five points in the final four minutes of the opening quarter. Despite a late basket from senior forward Samantha Cormier (Rochester, N.H.), the Leopards ended the first quarter facing a 16-5 deficit.
• Nichols picked up where they left off to start the second, going on a 7-2 run in the first two minutes, extending their lead to 16. After Wentworth got within 13, Nichols scored eight of the next 10 points, six coming from Hadley Houghton (Madison, Conn.) and held a 31-12 lead with 5:38 to go in the half. Two Leopard free throws, followed by a layup from freshman forward Gabby Amoddio (Wethersfield, Conn.), Wentworth's leading scorer on the day with 20 points, brought the visitors within 15. But Nichols scored six straight after that, as a three pointer from Amoddio with three minutes left ended that run for the Bison and started seven unanswered points for Wentworth, five of which came from Amoddio. Sophomore forward Mary Kate Gould (Medway, Mass.) added a basket during the stretch as well, but Nichols was able to close out the opening half with a 43-26 advantage.
• The Leopards looked to turn the tide in the third, as six straight points to open the half brought them to within 11. Amoddio, senior guard Kayla Kelley (Boston, Mass.) and sophomore guard Nattaly David (Hyde Park, Mass.) all picked up baskets as Wentworth trailed 43-32 with 1:15 gone by. Still holding an 11 point lead, Nichols scored seven straight points and built their lead to 52-35 with four minutes left in the third. Layups by Kelley and freshman guard Brianna Carroll (Douglas, Mass.) kept Wentworth close, but the Bison closed the quarter out on a 14-2 run, including seven from Klein, as Nichols broke it open and led 66-42 to end the third.
• Carroll and David made a pair of baskets for the Leopards early in the fourth, but the Bison were able to match. Gould added a layup and David hit a three with six minutes remaining, but Nichols answered with their own shot from beyond the arc. Despite seven points from both Amoddio and David in the final quarter, Wentworth could not get back into it as the Bison took an 88-65 victory.

THE SERIES 

• This was the 37^th all-time meeting between the teams. Nichols now holds a 20-17 lead in the series.

NEXT 

• The Leopards play the second of three consecutive road games Tuesday, Feb. 8, when they have a 5:30 p.m. matchup at Western New England University.

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