BOSTON — Behind stifling defense and a 20-point performance from
Cassidy Geddes, William & Mary took down Northeastern, 63-50, at the Cabot Center on Friday evening to end its losing skid.
William & Mary (9-8, 2-4 CAA) started the game strongly, opening with a 5–0 run, highlighted by
Cassidy Geddes' jumper and three-pointer with an assist from
Alexa Mikeska. The Huskies (6-11, 2-5) responded to tie the game at 5–5, but W&M regained control with a series of scores, including a critical layup by
Jana Sallman, assisted by
Natalie Fox. The Green and Gold capitalized on turnovers and led 15-12 at the end of the first quarter.
The Tribe seized control in the second quarter with a decisive 10-0 run, highlighted by Geddes's layup at 8:44 and Mikeska's 3-pointer at 5:41.
Monet Dance contributed with crucial steals, fueling the team's defensive efforts. Northeastern struggled to counter, managing only 11 points in the quarter. W&M ended the half leading 33-23.
William & Mary shifted momentum in the third quarter with a series of defensive stops and key plays, highlighted by Geddes' 3-pointer at 8:07, assisted by Dance. The team continued to build their lead as Fox added a layup with 7:30 remaining, extending their advantage to 13 points. Despite Northeastern's efforts to close the gap, including a 3-pointer by Nariyah Simmons, W&M's consistent scoring, capped by two free throws from
Kyah Smith at 1:34, maintained their edge.
W&M held a double-digit lead through the fourth quarter, opening with a decisive layup by Fox at 9:16 to push the score to 51-38. Despite the Huskies' attempts to close the gap, including a brief run led by Camryn Collins with a fast-break jumper and free throw at 5:16, the Tribe responded with consistent scoring from Geddes, who added to the lead with a layup and free throw at 4:54, extending the margin to 57-42.
As the quarter progressed, W&M capitalized on free throws, with Mikeska converting four in the final minutes to solidify their advantage. Northeastern got no closer than 13 points over the final five minutes as the Tribe finished strong in the win.
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