MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Wesleyan University women's basketball team rallied in the second half, but it wasn't enough as the Cardinals dropped a non-conference matchup to MIT Tuesday night at Silloway Gymnasium, 66-54. 

RECORDS
Wesleyan: 7-8
MIT: 12-4

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Despite outscoring the Engineers in the second half, 29-28, the Cardinals were unable to recover from a 13-point halftime deficit.
• Kaylie Williams '16 and Olivia Gorman '19 each scored 10 points to lead Wesleyan in scoring. Williams also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, and recorded a block and a steal. Maeve Vitale '18 registered four steals, dished out three assists and scored five points, and Danielle Gervacio '17 tallied three steals and three assists, while also scoring nine points. As a team, the Cardinals shot 38.7% (24-62) from the floor.
• Three players scored in double-figures for MIT. Kara Holinski dropped a game-high 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting, Maya Ramachandran tallied 14 points and Kristen Ngan added 10. Sabrina Drammis fell one point shy of a double-double as she finished with nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds. The Engineers went 45.0% (27-60) from the field.

FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS

• Gervacio opened the game with a three-pointer and Williams followed with a lay-up seconds later as the Cardinals jumped out to a 5-0 lead.
• MIT went on a run of its own in the final minutes of the first quarter and a three-point play by Dolly Yuan capped off a 12-0 stretch for the visitor's. The Engineers led by eight after the first 10 minutes of action.
• Trailing by double-digits, Vitale cut the deficit to seven after hitting one from downtown. Minutes later, the sophomore guard caused a MIT turnover and found Lauren Gaj '17 cutting to the basket for an open lay-up.
• After some back-and-forth turnovers by both teams, MIT regained its composure and outscored Wesleyan 9-3 down the stretch to grab a 38-25 lead heading into the break.

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS

• The Cardinals outscored MIT in the third quarter, 14-11.
• Trailing by 15 with 5:40 remaining, a bucket by Williams opened up a 6-0 Wesleyan run that was capped off by a lay-up from Maddie Bledsoe '18 as the home team got within single digits.
• Both teams exchanged baskets in the closing minutes of the third before a free throw from Liana Ilutzi '17 put MIT up 10, 49-39, entering the fourth quarter.
• Gorman sparked Wesleyan's offense down the stretch and got the Cardinals within seven, three times, including a steal from Vitale which led to a fast break lay-up by the freshman guard at the 4:20 mark, but it would be the closest the home team would get the rest of the way.
• MIT regained a double-digit lead with 1:35 remaining in regulation, and closed out the game from the foul line.

UP NEXT

• Wesleyan returns to the court Friday, Jan. 22 and will head to No. 9 Tufts. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
• The Engineers are back in action Saturday, Jan. 23 and are scheduled to play Smith on the road at 2 p.m.