SPRINGFIELD, Mass.—Sophomore Samantha Reale (North Attleboro, Mass.) scored 12 of her 15 points in the first half to lead three players in double figures as visiting Babson College defeated Springfield College, 60-56, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon inside Blake Arena. 

With its fifth straight win, Babson improves to 14-9 overall and 6-3 in conference play. Springfield, which had its three-game winning streak snapped, slips to 13-10 overall and 5-4 in the NEWMAC. 

Reale added seven rebounds and a game-high five steals, senior Katelyn Mollica (Foxborough, Mass.) finished with 12 points and five rebounds, and classmate Camilla Silk (Medfield, Mass.) added 10 points, five boards and two assists to pace the Beavers. Junior Chloe Perreault (Danbury, Conn.) also chipped in with nine points off the bench in the victory. 

Sophomore Kassidy Carrano (West Haven, Conn.) scored 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting and junior Amanda Leary (Westbury, N.Y.) contributed 15 points to pace the Pride. Classmate Carrie Hess (Shrewsbury, Mass.) came off the bench to score 10 points while leading all players with nine rebounds in the loss. 

The Green and White started fast getting 10 points from Reale and a pair of three-pointers from Mollica while shooting 9-of-16 to build a 22-9 advantage with 21 seconds to go in the first quarter. Perreault buried a three-pointer to open the second and Reale followed with a layup on the ensuing possession to give the Beavers their largest lead of the game at 27-11. 

Babson made just one field goal over the final five minutes of the period, a layup by Silk at the 4:44 mark, and Springfield closed within 33-24 at the break before opening the third quarter with a 7-3 spurt to cut its deficit to 36-31 on a three-pointer by Leary midway through the frame. Mollica pushed the Beavers' advantage back to eight with a triple at the 3:11 mark, but the Pride kept chipping away and got within 41-39 on another trifecta by Leary just over a minute into the fourth. 

Senior Angie Czeremcha (West Springfield, Mass.) made it a one-point game with 5:46 to play and tied it just over a minute later before the hosts took their first lead of the afternoon at 48-47 on a left-wing three-pointer by Carrano with 3:52 left. Perreault answered right back with a jumper from the right corner and Mollica buried a three-pointer on the following possession as the Green and White regained a 52-48 advantage with 3:13 to play. 

Babson came up empty on its next two trips before Reale answered a triple by Leary to make it 54-51 with 45 seconds to go. Leary cut the Springfield deficit to two with 22 seconds remaining by Perreault and senior Emily Flynn (Hanover, Mass.) both went 2-of-2 at the charity stripe over the final 18 seconds to put the game away. 

The Beavers shot 42 percent from the floor and turned 16 Springfield turnovers into 19 points. The Pride shot 37.7 percent in the loss. 

Both teams return to action on Wednesday at 7 p.m. as Babson travels to Mount Holyoke, while Springfield visits Clark. 

GAME NOTES
•    The Beavers are now 37-16 all-time against Springfield and have won three straight games in the series, all by five points or less, going back to last year's NEWMAC Tournament. 
•    Babson is 9-0 this winter and has won 12 straight games going back to last February when shooting at least 40 percent. 
•    The Green and White is now 6-3 this season in games decided by five points or less. 
•    The Beavers have now won their last four road games in conference play.