Engineers Fall to WPI, 63-41

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A 23-8 run during the first 9:30 of the second half helped propel WPI to a 63-41 win over MIT in a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women’s basketball game on Wednesday. Sally Simpson paced the Engineers (5-18, 3-14 NEWMAC) with 13 points while Aparna Sud added 10 of her own. Anna Merrifield contributed six points, three rebounds, and two steals as Stephanie Cooke led the Cardinal and Gray with five boards. Lauren Sascha Burton posted six assists and a pair of steals.

WPI established a 12-3 lead after 8:30 elapsed, but back-to-back baskets by Marissa Good brought MIT within five. A layup and a free throw later on increased WPI’s margin to 15-7 with 6:09 left in the half. The Engineers trimmed their deficit to six on two occasions during the next minute, the last time on a Merrifield jumper which made the score 17-11. Back-to-back three pointers gave WPI its largest lead of the frame, but a Simpson trifecta and a basket by Merrifield during the final 54 seconds of half narrowed the gap to 23-16 at the intermission.

After being held scoreless during the final four minutes of the first half, WPI responded with its pivotal run that put the game out of reach.