BOSTON, Mass. -- Senior Molly Phillips (Cranston, R.I.) scored 17 points to lead the Simmons University women's basketball team in a 70-55 loss to host Suffolk University this afternoon at Regan Gymnasium in Boston, Mass. The Sharks fall to 5-16 overall, including 2-6 in league play, while the Rams improve to 17-5 and 8-1.
Suffolk made the most of their opportunities, outscoring Simmons, 18-2, in second chance points and 24-9 in points off turnovers. The Rams turned the game around in the third quarter, outscoring their guests, 17-4.
Phillips was 3-4 from three-point range and added six rebounds, three blocks and a pair of steals for the Sharks, while senior point guard Rebekah Carroll (Londonderry, N.H.) contributed with 13 points, three rebounds, three steals and an assist. Junior forward Kirra Courchesne (Wilmington, Vt.) chipped in with eight points, eight rebounds and an assist. Senior guard Francesca Corsinetti (Johnston, R.I.) canned a three-pointer at the 7:41 mark of the second quarter to give her 131 for her career to tie Jennifer Janiak (2012-15) for the most trifectas in school history.
Sophomore guard Jenni-Rose DiCecco (Falmouth, Mass.) led Suffolk's offense, that saw three players in double figures, with a game-high 26 points to go with seven boards, five takeaways and two assists, while senior guard Marissa Gudauskas (Bolton, Conn.) provided 14 points on a 5-for-8 connection rate from the floor and a perfect 5-for-5 showing at the line to go with four caroms and a pair of assists and steals, respectively. Sophomore guard Gabriella DeComo (Portsmouth, R.I.) had an 11-point day, shooting 50 percent (5-10) from the field. She chipped in four steals, three boards, two blocks and one assist.
Simmons owned a 34-28 lead at halftime, but the Rams held the Sharks scoreless over the first five and a half minutes of the third quarter, while scoring 13 unanswered points to take a 41-34 lead with 4:28 to play in the period. Suffolk outscored Simmons, 17-4, in the quarter to take a 45-38 lead into the final period of play.
The Sharks went on a 10-4 run to open the fourth quarter, including a three-point play from senior forward Lauren Brandau (Madison, Conn.,) to pull Simmons to within 49-48 with 6:34 to go in the contest. The Sharks stayed within 56-53 at the 3:03 mark, before the Rams put the game out of reach with nine straight points, including six from DiCecco, to give them a 65-53 advantage with 27 ticks left on the clock.
Sophomore Jordan Hipwell (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) knocked down a jumper with 3:48 remaining in the opening quarter to give Suffolk a 14-11 lead, but Simmons scored five of the next six points, including a lay-up from Courchesne to give the visitors a 16-15 edge with 2:31 to play in the period. First year guard Allie Lopes (Scituate, Mass.) reclaimed the lead for the Rams with a lay-up to make it 17-16 before the end of the quarter.
The Sharks put together an 8-2 run to open the second quarter, including five points from Carroll, to take a 24-19 margin with 5:57 showing on the clock. Suffolk countered with seven unanswered points to take a 26-24 lead at the 4:08 mark, but Simmons closed out the half with eight unanswered points, including six from Phillips to take a 34-28 lead into the break.
The Sharks return to action on Tuesday, February 5 when they head to Paxton, Mass. to take on GNAC foe Anna Maria College at 5:30 p.m., while the Rams travel to New London, N.H. to play Colby-Sawyer on February 9 at 1:00 p.m.