With five players in double figures, the Mount Ida College women's basketball team rolled to a 76-59 victory over visiting non-conference Wheelock College this past Tuesday night in Newton, Massachusetts.  The Mustangs notch their first win of 2009 and improve to 5-12 on the year and remain 0-5 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). The Wildcats drop to 1-15 overall, 1-5 in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC).

The home team never trailed in this one opening with an 8-0 run and eventually leading by nine up 13-4 at the 15 minute mark.  The Mustangs let the visitors back into the contest going on a 5-0 run of their own down 13-9 with 12:30 to go in the half.

It was back and forth for the next four minutes with Mount Ida maintaining a small six point advantage up 20-14.  The visitors ultimately cut the lead to a deuce with 7:32 to go trailing 20-18 on a Jessica Battista (Johnston, RO/St. Mary Academy-Bayview) lay-in.   

The Mustangs powered up the offensive strike and dominated an 11-0 run to jump ahead by 12 points up 31-19 towards the end of the first stanza.  The teams headed into the locker room with the hosts leading by 14, up 40-26.  Mount Ida scored 14 of their first half points off visiting turnovers. 

The second half was all about the Mustangs using the first 4:22 to build a significant advantage over the Wildcats leading by 20 points up 50-30.  The lead grew to a game high 27 points with 11:28 remaining in the game after freshman Brittany Dolloff (Hollis, MA/Hollis-Brookline) was fouled beyond the three point arc.  She was awarded three free throws sinking all of them. 

Although the visitors eventually cut the huge advantage down to 14 points with 2:40 remaining on a junior Sharrell Brown (Brooklyn, NY/Progress) triple, there was no chance to comeback.  The Mustangs notched their fifth victory of the season and first of 2009, winning 76-59. 

Rebounding was serious problem for the Wildcats with only 39 on the night while the Mustangs grabbed 48 boards.  Mount Ida was solid from the field shooting 46 percent while Wheelock was at 35 percent. 

Junior Cherie Parisi (South Attleboro, MA/Attleboro) led the charge for the Mustangs with a game high 19 points and nine rebounds.  Freshman Hannah Blum (Raleigh, NC/Broughton) continues to play well notching 13 points and five boards.  Freshman Jeileen Rivera (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) had her best outing of the year with 12 points.  Junior Nicole Casimiro (Lee, NH/Oyster River) and freshman Katie Morvan (Northbridge, MA/Northbridge) added 10 points a piece.

Junior Kerry Casey (Medford, MA/Medford) and sophomore Callahan Moore (Nantucket, MA/Nantucket) combined for 17 points and two rebounds.  Battista and junior Elise Ordille (Waltham, MA/Waltham) added seven points a piece.  Brown was the top scorer for Wheelock with 14 points and eight caroms going 3-9 from downtown.

The Mustangs will travel to GNAC member Emerson College this coming Thursday with tip-off coming at 7:00 p.m.