NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Wheaton College women's basketball team fell to the United States Coast Guard Academy, 68-57, Wednesday night in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) contest. 

Junior Ruthie Zientek led Wheaton with 14 points and five assists while senior Sophia Black added 12 points.

Juniors Gill Gerton and Jill Bray each had a game-high 16 points for Coast Guard. Sophomore Micaela Martinelli added 13 points and nine rebounds while freshman Breanna Wood had nine points and a career-high 13 rebounds in the win.

Coast Guard shot 46.7 percent from the floor (28-60), while making 5 of 19 from behind the arc.
Wheaton shot 43.8 percent (21-48) including 7 of 23 from 3-point range.

The Bears out rebounded Wheaton 39-22 including 19 offensive rebounds after being held to just four offensive rebounds in a loss to Smith on Saturday.

Zientek opened the game with a three-pointer helping push Wheaton to a 19-16 lead after one quarter. The Lyons pushed the lead to 28-21 following a 7-2 spurt with 5:56 left in the first half and Wheaton led 37-33 at the half.

Coast Guard would score the first six points of the second half to take a 39-37 lead with 6:48 left in the third before the Lyons answered an 11-4 run to lead 48-43 with 3:25 left in the third quarter. The Bears would however use a 8-2 run capped on a 3-pointer by Bray for a 51-50 lead after three quarters.

The Bears led 51-50 heading to the fourth quarter and Coast Guard held a 55-53 lead with 6:24 left before and 11-2 run put the game away as the Bears led 66-55 with 2:34 left.

Wheaton returns home on Saturday, Jan. 21 to host Wellesley at 12 p.m. 

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