Box Score BRISTOL, R.I. - The Roger Williams University Women's Basketball team earned a 71-57 victory against the Eastern Nazarene Lions in a late rally on Tuesday evening in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Quarterfinals.
 
Eastern Nazarene won the tip-off to start the game and were the first to put up points with a shot by BreAnna Fraser (Henderson, Nev.) at 8:45. The Hawks had a slow start to the first half until Katie Lowerre's (Sharon, Mass.) shot at 7:35.
 
The scores remained low for the first quarter of the game as both teams struggled to make baskets. The Hawks were able to establish their first lead in the game at 3:49 with Mary Beth Cahill's (East Williston, N.Y.) free throw making the score 9-8. Free throws moved the game forward and allowed the Lions to take back a 12-11 lead.
 
Both teams motivated to stay on top kept the last minute of the quarter intense. With 41 seconds left in the quarter, Rachel Battista (Johnston, R.I.) made the layup to put the Hawks up 13-12. However, the Lions responded in the final second before the buzzer with a jump shot by Nicole Greer (Odenton, Md.).
 
The second quarter began with the Hawks trailing by one, 13-14. The Lions being the first to score again foreshadowed their offensive prowess for the quarter. The Hawks struggled to establish their offensive game going 0-for-4 from 8:09 to just under five minutes to play. At 4:41 Cahill's three-pointer narrowed the Hawks' deficit to three (20-23).
 
A jump shot by Krystal Holl (Smithsburg, Md.) on the next Lion possession allowed ENC to pull further away from Roger Williams. The Hawks gained momentum at 2:45 with Mariah Nicholas' (Acushnet, Mass.) shot to make the score 23-27. Angelica Ariola (Prospect, Conn.) followed up shortly with a three pointer just over a minute after. The Hawks, unable to make up the points, would not score again in the half and trailed 26-31 at halftime.
 
At the outset of the second half, the Hawks continued to struggle to make a basket, going 0-for-5 before Nicholas' field goal at 8:01.
 
Eastern Nazarene took control of the game after their first successful shot of the half at 7:45 by Jessica Franco (Phoenix, Ariz.). The Hawks faced a few hard possessions, going almost three minutes without scoring. Bridget Quilty (Duxbury, Mass.) helped to bring the Hawks alive by scoring at 5:16. She would go on to score the next eight of the next nine RWU points bring the Hawks within one, 37-38.
 
The Lions, however, were able to make up the points thanks to Celina Calderon (Lompoc, Calif) in the final minute of the third quarter, who scored the final five points for ENC. The Hawks, not able to take back their lead since the first quarter, entered the final period down 41-43.
 
A slow start for the Lions, the Hawks worked hard to tie the game on a layup by Quilty at 9:39 tied the game 43-43. Eastern Nazarene went 0-for-6 until 7:32 with a layup by Elia Salazar (Los Angeles, Calif.). A three-pointer from Battista at 6:36 allowed the Hawks to grab the lead 47-45. A quick Fraser responded with her own three-pointer for the Lions at 6:10. 
 
An energized Roger Williams went on a seven-point run sparked by Teagan Dunn's (Burlington, Conn.) layup at 5:40. Jaysa Cooper's (Frisco, Texas) shot broke the run at 3:39. Only two minutes remained in the game with the Hawks up 58-51.
 
Free throws helped to carry the Hawks to the win over the final minute and a half. Roger Williams finished the game going 14-for-16 from the line. The buzzer signaled a Hawk win with the final score 71-57. 
 
Quilty had a solid game for the Hawks with a double-double, scoring 22 points and 11 rebounds with three blocks. Battista put up ten points for the Hawks, while Nicholas scored nine points with eight boards.
 
Greer put up the most points for the Lions with 12 points scored, while Fraser scored 11. Franco finished with a double-double of her own with ten points and ten rebounds.
 
Roger Williams (17-9, 13-5 CCC) will advance their playoff run against Western New England in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Semifinals on Thursday. Eastern Nazarene ends their season with an overall record of 14-12 and Commonwealth Coast Conference record of 9-9.