BRISTOL, R.I. — The Roger Williams University Women's Basketball team notched its third straight victory Wednesday evening with a 56-47 win over Nichols College.
 
In the opening quarter it was a back and forth battle. Both teams combined for three ties and two lead changes. Roger Williams gained momentum late with a 7-0 run in the last 1:30 remaining in the quarter. With three points from Sam Mancinelli (Peabody, Mass.) and four from Emily Yonych (Cheshire, Conn.). The Bison shot only 3-of-10 from the field. The Hawks ended the period 13-6.
 
The Hawks started the second quarter with a three-pointer from Mancinelli. Nichols had difficulties finding a hole in the Hawks' defense, as it resulted in four turnovers in the quarter. Roger Williams continued to stop the Bison offense, holding them to 2-of-14 shooting. Nichols gained some life in the last three minutes of the quarter as Rebecca Cleary (Milford, N.H.) made a layup to gain some momentum. However, RWU finished the quarter up 26-12 with Karli Opalka (Southbury, Conn.) leading RWU with nine points in the quarter.
 
Nichols started the third quarter strong as Melody Millet (Naples, Maine) started what would become a 10-0 run to cut the RWU lead to only four points. The Hawks responded back with a Gabby Jerahian (Quincy, Mass.) layup and two made free throws from Sam Leone (Ashland, Mass.) to extend their lead to 30-24. The Bisons would tie up the contest at 32 with two threes and a layup. Jerahian would extend RWU's lead back to two with a layup in the last minute. Nichols made 8-of-14 shots from the field in the quarter as the Hawks only managed to shoot 2-of-13 from the field. ­RWU finished the quarter up only 34-32.
 
In the fourth quarter, both teams began the period trading threes as the Hawks lead 37-35 with 8:04 left. The Bison took over the lead with seven minutes remaining from a layup from Ciarri Formby-Lavertu (Plainville, Conn.) to make it 39-37. Roger Williams then began a 6-0 run with four points from Mancinelli and two from Opalka. Roger Williams pulled the game out of reach in the final minute as a Mancinelli hit a three that extended the lead to 51-45.
 
Mancinelli led the Hawks with 16 points, six rebounds, and three steals, while Opalka had another double-double with 11 points, 16 rebounds, and one steal. Leone finished with eight points, 11 rebounds, and three steals. 
 
Formby-Lavertu led the Bison with 18 points and four rebounds. Shannon St. Lawrence (Milton, N.H.) had 10 points, 12 rebounds, and three steals. Millet and Isabella Nerney (Guilford, Conn.) each respectively had six points and six rebounds. ­
 
On Saturday, Roger Williams (7-10, 5-3 CCC) will travel to the University of New England while Nichols (3-14, 1-7 CCC) hosts Curry.