NORTON, Mass.  -  The Coast Guard Academy women's basketball team opened their NEWMAC schedule this afternoon with a 57-53 road win at Wheaton College (Mass.). The Bears staved off a Wheaton rally late in the fourth quarter to clinch the game.

Coast Guard improves to 12-3 (1-0 NEWMAC), snapping a two-game skid in the process, while the Lyons lost their second in a row and move to 4-11 (0-1 NEWMAC). Wheaton takes on Mount Holyoke College (4-11, 0-1 NEWMAC), in their next game on Wednesday, January 22nd.

A slow start for Coast Guard led to a 2-8 deficit in the first quarter with just under six minutes to play. The Bears turned it around with a 17-6 run for the remainder of the quarter and would eventually go into halftime with a 34-28 advantage.

Coast Guard shot 14-33 (42.4%) and limited their hosts to 10-35 (28.6%). Despite the discrepancy in shot success, Wheaton stayed persistent on both sides of the ball in keeping the Bears' lead from going no higher than six for the final eight minutes.

Coast Guard would get out to a 40-30 lead with 6:51 to play in the third quarter, but the Lyons would hit a trio of three-pointers in three minutes to cut the lead down to one. Wheaton carried the tone shift into the fourth, eventually tying the game at 42 on an and-one free throw with 8:42 remaining.

Coast Guard would retake the lead over the next couple of minutes, despite the perseverance of their hosts, and eventually held on for the win. Junior guard Dorothy Stotts (Edina, Minn.) and senior big Glory Blethen (Boothbay, Maine) were instrumental down the stretch by combining for 13 of the Bears' 15 points in the final quarter.

Stotts finished with a game-high 19 points (8-19 FG, 2-8 3PT, 1-2 FT). Blethen had the next highest total in the game, scoring 14 (5-13 FG, 2-6 3PT, 2-2 FT) to go alongside 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season.

Seniors Julia Mann (Central Square, N.Y.) and Kelly Hagerty (Emerald Isle, N.C.) offset their quiet scoring stats with a pair of excellent defensive performances. The duo had two steals each and combined for 15 rebounds, with Mann grabbing eight and Hagerty pulling down seven. Finally, Stotts shared the game-high in assists with fellow junior guard Taylor Lynch (Madison, Ind.), both of whom earned credit four helping on four scores.

Wheaton was led in scoring by Greta Minos (Boston, Mass.), who had 11 (4-11 FG, 3-5 3PT) from the bench, and Nasha Arnold (North Reading, Mass.), who had a near double-double with ten points (4-14 FG, 2-3 FT) and eight rebounds. Mary McClintlock (Essex Junction, Vt.) tied Blethen for the game-lead in rebounding.

The Bears get to stay home for their next in-conference match-up, hosting Springfield College (8-6, 0-0 NEWMAC) on Wednesday, January 22nd. Coast Guard won last year's match-up at the birthplace of basketball, 51-48. An efficient night from the floor and at the line for Mann led to her having a game-high 14 points while grabbing eight rebounds.