BRISTOL, R.I. – The top-seeded Roger Williams University Women's Basketball team took down the third-seed Endicott College Gulls by a final score of 67-46, extending an already historic 25-win season and capturing their first Commonwealth Coast Conference title in program history.
 
Hawk Highlights
Caroline Elie: 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals
Karli Opalka: 4 points, 10 rebounds
Kendi Barnard: 7 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals
Katie Galligan: 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks
Sam Mancinelli: 4 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists
Sophie Araneo: 4 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal
Nikki Rosa: 12 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
 
For The Opponents
Morgan Bresnahan: 7 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks
Tara Laugeni: 8 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal
Katelyn Konareski: 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Emily St. Thomas: 8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
 
How It Happened
A young Roger Williams team led by Sam Mancinelli (Peabody, Mass.) the lone remaining player from the 2017-18 runner-up season, came out of the locker room to a slow start that saw Endicott hop out to a 13-6 lead over the first six minutes of play. It was sophomore guard Katie Galligan (Pembroke, Mass.) leading the charge for the home team during that stretch, scoring all six of the Hawks points. A Mancinelli trip to the line was a spark for the hosts with RWU locking in on both ends of the court. Kendi Barnard (Bedford, N.H.) grabbed her first steal of the game, and strong play on the offensive end from Karli Opalka (Southbury, Conn.), and three Caroline Elie (Rockland, Mass.) free throws helped RWU get within two going into the second quarter (13-15).
 
Unlike the first quarter, Roger Williams came out on fire. With 8:17 remaining in the first half, Barnard collected a loose ball in the offensive zone and pulled up, nailing the jumper to tie up the game at 17. A few possessions later, Sophie Araneo (Branford, Conn.) pulled up for her first points of the game while also giving the Hawks their first lead at 19. The top seed in the CCC kept applying the pressure, outscoring Endicott 16-7 in the quarter, and grabbing a seven-point lead going into the second half. For the Hawks, Barnard and Galligan continued their strong play, with both starters scoring four points and grabbing two boards each. For the Gulls, Emily St. Thomas (Sterling, Mass.) led the team's offensive attack with eight points and dishing out two assists, while Morgan Bresnahan (Wilmington, Mass.) led the defensive effort grabbing six boards and four blocks.
 
Endicott had another slow start to open the third quarter, falling behind as RWU dominated on both ends of the court with an 11-2 run to begin the period. The Hawks were highlighted by strong play from Nikki Rosa (Nahant, Mass.) as she notched five points, two boards, and an assist. Elie also continued to fill up the stat sheet in the third, grabbing her second block of the game, a steal, and five more points. After checking back into the game with 1:15 left, Rosa drained her second three of the quarter, before Katelyn Konareski (Milford, Conn.) responded for the Gulls with a three ball of her own as time expired.
 
The final frame saw Roger Williams continue with the dominant form that was on display all season. Multiple different players continued to get involved including Rosa connecting on two from the line, Elie picking up the and-one, and Barnard adding another steal before Mancinelli gave her the ball back on the other end for the layup. Elie and Galligan continued to make a massive impact for the home squad as the top-two point scorers in the contest with 20 and 14 respectively. The dynamic sophomore duo also added a combined ten rebounds, six helpers, four blocks, and two steals. Also making an enormous impact was the steady veteran presence of Mancinelli and Opalka. Although the two only combined for a total of eight points, they made their impact in other ways as Mancinelli led the game dishing out seven assists and Opalka nabbed a game-high ten boards. The Hawks now look ahead as a berth to the NCAA tournament on Friday, March 4th awaits the team.

What's Next
Roger Williams (25-2): Friday, March 4 (NCAA Tournament)
Endicott (17-11): Season Complete