The Central Connecticut State University women’s basketball team began Northeast Conference play with a 71-59 win against Stonehill College on Monday in Detrick Gymnasium.
The win is their third of the year, moving their record to 3-11 overall.
The Blue Devils had a hot first half, capped off by a second quarter in which they shot 52.9% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range.
Four Blue Devils scored in double figures, led by senior Meghan Kenefick’s 16 points on 7-for-16 shooting. Kenefick added eight rebounds and two assists.
Also contributing were sophomore Ally Sentance, senior Belle Lanpher, and junior Amaya Williams. Adding 14, 12, and 12 points, respectively.
Despite a shaky night shooting the ball, sophomore Samora Watson played with her usual tenacity. Watson contributed nine points while leading Central in both rebounds, with nine, and assists, with six.
Lanpher, one of Central’s captains and a pre-season All-NEC First Team pick displayed her leadership by deferring the spotlight to her teammates time and again.
“Do the girls on the team look to me as a leader and a captain? Sure,” Lanpher said. “But it can be anyone’s given day. Whoever has the hot hand will definitely be the person shooting.”
Defensively, the Blue Devils locked down Stonehill, holding the Skyhawks to just 35.7% shooting.
Williams and sophomore Ciera Pearson came up with three steals apiece, and Pearson added a blocked shot.
Head coach Way Veney made a mid-game adjustment defensively that took away Stonehill’s easy shots and forced them to take more contested jumpers.
“Initially, we were going under on a lot of the handoffs, and we had to make an adjustment because they were making shots,” Veney said. “I think that was huge, and we picked up our intensity on the ball.”
The Blue Devils will be back in action on Jan. 13, taking on Saint Francis University in Detrick Gymnasium.
