CRAWFORD PAVES WAY, REGIS 2-0

NEW LONDON, Conn. - The Mitchell College women's basketball team opened the 2009-10 season with an 81-61 loss to Regis College (Mass.) on Tuesday night at the Yarnall Athletic Center. 

Sophomore guard Stephanie Crawford (Rockland, Mass.) led all scorers with 19 points and added seven rebounds and six assists as the Pride improved to 2-0 on the season. Mitchell (0-1 overall) was led by senior Jennifer Iglesias (Waterbury, Conn.), who finished with 18 points, three assists and three steals.

Neither team led by more than five points in a closely-contested first half. Regis took its biggest lead of the stanza at 25-21 on a three-pointer by sophomore Caitlin Luquet (Walnut Creek, Calif.) with 2:39 to play, but Mitchell responded with 10 of the next 12 points to regain the lead. Following four straight points from Iglesias inside the final minute, Luquet buried another three to end the half and cut Mitchell's lead to 31-30 at the break.

Regis used a full-court pressure defense to take control at the start of the second half. The Pride forced five turnovers in the first four minutes and outscored the Mariners 13-2 to take a 43-33 lead. Senior Jessica Page (Quincy, Mass.), who finished with 18 points and a team-high nine rebounds, scored seven straight points during the run.

The Pride built the lead to 65-47 with 7:37 remaining before the Mariners made their charge. Over the next 82 seconds, Mitchell reeled off 12 unanswered points to trim an 18-point deficit to six with 6:15 to go. Sophomore Bianca Young (Bridgeport, Conn.) scored four points during the stretch while junior Allison Peck (Colchester, Conn.) capped the run with a three-pointer.

Crawford put an end to the comeback with a bucket with 5:13 to play, and Page scored four straight points to build the lead back to double digits. Regis' defense sealed the victory, holding Mitchell to only one field goal over the final six minutes.

The Pride shot 51 percent for the game and 43 percent from beyond the arc. Luquet joined Crawford and Page in double figures with 10 points.

Mitchell, which shot 44 percent from the floor, committed 34 turnovers. Young finished with 13 points and six rebounds while sophomore Destiney Harris (Bristol, Conn.) had 10 points in 21 minutes before fouling out. Junior Alix O'Neil (New London, Conn.) paced all players on the glass with 10 rebounds.

Mitchell returns to action on Tuesday, November 24 at Eastern Nazarene College. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Regis will next play Keene State on Friday, November 20 at 3 p.m.

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David Longolucco