SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- February 15, 2007 – Junior guard Tara McCarthy (Bristol, R.I.) scored a team-high 23 points to lead Springfield College to a key 69-61 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) victory over Clark University in women’s basketball action at Clark's Kneller Athletic Center in Worcester, Mass. on Thursday evening.

The game had been postponed from the night before (Feb. 14) due to icy weather conditions.

With the win, Springfield improves to 13-11 overall, 8-4 in NEWMAC play. Clark, meanwhile, falls to 12-11 overall and 8-4 in the league. Both teams find themselves in fourth place in league standings, but because SC has beaten Clark twice this season, SC would receive a first-round NEWMAC post-season tournament game if the regular-season ended today. There is one more regular season game to be played Saturday. Depending upon numerous scenarios, Springfield can still finish anywhere from second to sixth in the standings.

The NEWMAC post-season tournament will begin Wednesday, Feb. 21, with the top eight teams playing first-round games on campus sites of the top four seeds.

McCarthy, who was 5-for-5 from the line, had 12 first half points for the Pride in the Clark contest. Sophomore forward Corey Finch (Hanover, Pa.) notched a double-double with 14 points and 13 boards, while junior guard Christine Cotter (Stoughton, Mass.) had 11 points and a team-high five assists for Springfield.

First-year Jillian Camilleri (Lancaster, Mass.) paced Clark with 12 points and nine boards. Sophomores Sarah Roderigue (Oakland, Me.) and Sara Hagstrom (Yarmouth, Me.) added 11 points apiece. Hagstrom hit three 3-pointers in the game.

The Pride raced out to a 21-7 lead fueled by 10 points from McCarthy. Clark used a 13-4 run capped by a three-pointer from Hagstrom to cut the deficit to five (20-25) at the 4:03 mark. However, Springfield scored the next nine points to push the lead back up to 14 (34-20) and ended the half up 39-24 on Cotter’s lay-up as time expired.

After trailing by 13, the Cougars clawed back into the game outscoring the Pride, 13-0, over a three and a half minute stretch for a two-point game (50-48) at 9:49. The run featured a conventional three-point play from Roderigue and four points from Camilleri. Back-to-back jumpers by McCarthy and Cotter increased Springfield’s lead to 54-48, but Kristin Healy’s (Brookline, Mass.) three brought the Cougars back to within three (54-51) at 8:24. A lay-in by McCarthy then capped an 11-3 run by the Pride to put the game out of reach.

Springfield swept the season series with the victory. The Pride had beaten Clark, 63-56, earlier this season.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday (Feb. 17). Clark will travel to Mount Holyoke for a 2 p.m. tilt, while Springfield will host Wheaton College at 3 p.m.

published: 02/16/2007