Pion Carries Lady Hawks Past Bay Path
HOLYOKE, Mass.-Despite a 57-51 loss to a tough Becker College squad, junior forward Jessica Hunt (Madison, Conn.) helped Bay Path finish the 2008-09 season with a bang breaking the Wildcats' all-time scoring record at 18:39 on the clock in the second half. Hunt needed eleven points prior to tonight's tip-off to eclipse the previous record-holders 1,166 points held for the past seven years by alumna Melissa Palmer (1998-'02, Brookfield, Mass.). Hunt managed to finish her stellar year with 1,175 points, grabbing 19 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and one block.
The Hawks' senior center Beth Pion (Enfield, Conn.) was a one woman wrecking crew for Becker, nailing an amazing 28 points and 13 boards. Pion shot 47% (9-for-19) from the floor, a blazing 75% (3-for-4) from behind the arc and 88% (7-for-8) from the charity stripe. Pion added three blocks and four steals.
The game was a battle till the last few minutes on the clock. The score flip-flopped eight times throughout the forty minutes. Bay Path controlled most of the first half of play leading the Hawks by as much as five points at 5:14 on the clock. Junior forward Ashley Cimmino (Westfield, Mass.) nailed a jumper to grab the lead 20-15.
Pion hit a jumper at 4:20 to tightened the score 20-17 in favor of the Wildcats. Junior forward Kathleen Rodrigue (West Stewartstown, N.H.) proceeded to answer back on a third-chance lay-up for the maroon and white taking back the five point cushion.
Becker's senior forward Rachel Pinak (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) and junior guard Courtney Fiske (Westfield, Mass.) combined for five points including a trey by Fiske to knot the scoreboard 22-22 with 2:39 left in the first half. Fiske would nail another trey, while Pinak went 1-for-1 from the line to hold the lead by one bucket heading into the locker room 24-26.
Coming out of the break, sophomore Wildcat guard Kat Begin (Weare, N.H.) hit a jumper to tie the game 26-26. Pion would again launch a successful shot from downtown to go up three points. The score again went back and forth with junior guard Christina Calabrese (Hamilton, N.J.) notching a trey to knot the game for the eighth and final time at 13:24 left in regulation play.
Pion would spark her team to their eventual victory with six consecutive points including a made free-throw, three-pointer and another backdoor lay-up.
Pinak would finish with seven points and six rebounds, while Fiske had 13 points for Becker.
Rodrigue would grab double figures defensively with eleven boards helping Bay Path out hustle the Hawks inside finishing with 45 rebounds to Becker's 31 boards for the night. Calabrese added 12 points and five assists, while Cimmino chipped in eight points and six rebounds.
Senior guard Sarah Wright (Canterbury, N.H.) concluded her final season with eight points and three boards. Wright went 50% (2-for-4) from behind the arc and 43% (3-for-7) from the floor. Wright concluded her senior season tallying 120 boards, 99 points, 31 steals and 30 assists.
Hunt averaged 18.8 ppg for the year with 469 points, 13.0 rpg with 324 rebounds, 45 assists, 79 blocks and 77 steals for a stellar junior year.
Becker will conclude regular season play on Saturday, February 21st hosting Southern Vermont at a 1:00 p.m. tip-off. The Hawks are now 13-11 on the year and 9-6 in New England Collegiate Conference play. The Wildcats finish off the year 3-22 and 1-15 in conference.
