WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Salve Regina University women's basketball fell in its final regular season game at Wellesley College, 74-54, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action at the Dorothy Towne Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon. The Blue (10-14 Overall, 4-7 NEWMAC) ended the season with its highest total in both overall wins and conference wins since 2019-20.

Junior Trinity Barrow (Evans, Ga.) supplied nine points with 10 rebounds and a season-high nine assists. Sophomore Ava Shane (Plano, Texas) was the leading scorer with 15 points and grabbed a game-high 15 boards. Shane ends the season fifth in Blue single-season history with 388 points. Classmate Stacy Chen (Minneapolis, Minn.) recorded 14 points while first-year Hailey Moy (San Francisco, Calif.) dropped in 10.

The Seahawks (9-15 Overall, 3-7 NEWMAC) were led by 22 points and 18 rebounds from senior Sofia Neary (Wayne, N.J.). Classmate Marissa Forino (Watertown, Conn.) connected on all eight attempts at the charity stripe.

Wellesley came out hot, going up 8-4 early. The Seahawks didn't let the lead grow beyond five points for much of the first until a Moy jumper made it 19-13 with 19 seconds remaining. That scoreline remained through the final first quarter horn.

The Blue's advantage hovered around six points for the first five minutes of the second quarter. A three from sophomore Emaleena Elson (Irvine, Calif.) was followed by five straight by Barrow to make it 33-21. The Seahawks briefly cut it to an eight point game at 33-25 before a last second deep ball from first-year Tanvi Agarwal (Woodinville, Wash.) gave Wellesley an 11 point edge at the break.

The teams alternated points for much of the third quarter until the scoreline read 47-36 for Wellesley with 3:14 left in the frame. The Blue blitzed the Seahawks with a 9-0 run over the next two minutes, featuring two layups from Chen. At the end of three, the Blue were up 56-38.

Salve Regina never got back within 15 points in the fourth, as Wellesley finished off its high efficiency scoring with 74 total points. The Blue shot 27-for-61 (44.3%) from the floor. Wellesley had its best three-point shooting performance of the year, making 7-of-15 (46.7%) perfect.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Wellesley 74, Salve Regina 54
Records: Salve Regina (11-9, 4-3 NEWMAC), Wellesley (6-14, 1-6 NEWMAC)
History: These programs meet for the sixth time overall and third as fellow members of the NEWMAC. Salve Regina has won a pair of neutral site meetings (53-42 in 2012 in Williamstown, Mass.; 57-49 in 2022 in Las Vegas, Nev.) while Wellesley has held serve at home now on three occasions (54-42 in 2013; 70-60 in 2024). In 2024's loss, Sofia Neary pulled down a season-high 18 rebounds. Briana Neary scored 11 points, including the 1000th point of her career. Briana joined Seahawk alum Kaitlyn Birrell '13 in achieving the milestone on the Blue hardwood. Salve Regina-Welllesley now tied in the all-time series, 3-3.

NOTEWORTHY

• Sofia Neary registered her 21st double-double in 25 games this season. Two-time national runner-up Smith College was the only conference foe to prevent a double-double by the senior Seahawk.

ON THE HORIZON
The Seahawks and Blue conclude their regular seasons and have no postseason action.