Jan. 27, 2007

Box Score

BABSON PARK, Mass. - Sophomore forward Sarah Roderigue (Oakland, Maine) led all players with 20 points and 11 rebounds to help the visiting Clark University Cougars claim a 65-53 victory over host Babson College in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's basketball game on Saturday afternoon. It was the third straight win for Clark (8-10, 4-3 NEWMAC), while the Beavers (9-9, 5-2 NEWMAC) dropped their second in a row.

Clark led by as many as nine in the first half before Babson rallied to take its only lead of the game, 25-24, on a free throw by first-year Sam Bartman (Upton, Mass.) with 2:48 remaining in the period. The Cougars then closed the half with a 7-2 run that was capped by a three-pointer from Roderigue to take a 31-26 advantage into the locker room.

Babson stayed within striking distance for the first eight minutes of the second half, trailing by only five after a Bartman jumper made it 41-36 with 12:11 remaining. Clark then embarked on a 12-2 run over the next four minutes, highlighted by seven points from Roderigue, to build a 55-40 advantage with 8:33 on the clock. Babson would get no closer than nine the rest of the way as the Cougars came away with the 65-53 victory.

Roderigue's game-high 20 points came on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and a five-of-six clip from the line. Senior tri-captain Jess Lamothe (Westboro, Mass.) added 15 points and five boards for the Cougars, while fellow senior tri-captain Ashley Auclair (Williamsburg, Mass.) added eight points, five rebounds, and a game-high five steals. Clark held a commanding 41-27 rebounding advantage in the contest, including 17 offensive boards that led to 21 second-chance points.

Senior captain Colleen Burke (Pittsfield, Mass.) and senior Suzy Ward (North Attleboro, Mass.) each finished with 10 points to lead the Beavers, who played the majority of the contest with leading-scorer Caitlin Boulier (Wolcott, Conn.) after the junior guard left the game with an injury midway through the first half. Bartman helped pick up the slack with seven points off the bench, while junior Bekie Berg (West Brookfield, Mass.) added eight points. Babson shot just 4-for-9 (44.4 percent) from the free throw line as a team, compared to Clark's impressive 19-for-22 (86.4 percent) clip.