Nighthawks Fall Short to AMCATS

PAXTON, Mass. - Propelled by Samantha Ashton's (Worcester, Mass.) game high 21 points, the Anna Maria College Women's basketball team defeated the Newbury Nighthawks 60-54 en route to their fourth straight victory in a Division III matchup at the Fuller Activities Center on Thursday evening.
 
Despite being outshot 33.3% to 28.6% from the field, the AMCATS held a 25-23 advantage at half-time. Ashton did the majority of her damage in a stellar first-half, netting 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting while adding four rebounds. Catherine O'Connell (Quincy, Mass.) was a force in the post for the Nighthawks, adding six points, six rebounds and three blocks in the first frame.
 
The AMCATS came out sprinting in the second half, building a 16-2 advantage in fast break points.  Anna Maria also utilized their depth, outscoring the Nighthawks with points from the bench by a 14-4 margin.  Chelsea Blair (Holland, Mass.) and Tonique Adkins (New Haven, Conn.) were instrumental in the AMCATS' victory, as Blair added six points, nine rebounds and two blocks while Adkins filled the stat sheet with 12 points, three steals, three assists, and four rebounds in the second half of play.
 
O'Connell and Ashley Monteiro (Cambridge, Mass.) did their best to keep the Nighthawks in the game, as O'Connell led all scorers in the second half with 13 points, while adding seven rebounds (13 total), two blocks and two steals while Monteiro added 11 of her 16 total points.
 
For the game, Ashton paced all scorers with 21 points, while Blair grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds for the AMCATS. Adkins finished with an impressive line of 12 points, five boards, four steals, and three assists.
 
The Nighthawks were led by O'Connell's double-double with a team-high 19 points, 13 rebounds, and five blocks. Monteiro also had a solid game adding 16 points and four steals in the loss.
 
Newbury will return to the court on December 8th when they host Gordon at 5:00 p.m. The AMCATS look to make it five-straight when they host New England College on December 5th at 2:00 p.m.

Story Provided By: Anna Maria College Sports Information