Martlets Defeat Bearcats

After traveling on the road for the last four games, the Martlets were excited to get back on home court and compete against a Founders League opponent. From the start, Westminster played with a sense of energy and intensity, setting the tone on the defensive end and looking to capitalize on transition offense. Gianna Monaco ‘27 and Kaitlyn Buda ‘27 helped generate good offensive looks while Parker Perillo ‘26 and Delia Lockwood ‘26 led the charge on defense. Third Former, Charlie Evanko ‘29, also locked down the paint and had several electric shot blocks throughout the contest. It was a back-and-forth affair with Westminster trailing after the first quarter, but then taking a halftime lead after holding Hotchkiss to only 2 points in the second quarter. In the third quarter, the Martlets saw strong play from Chloe Donovan ‘29 and Melody El-Amin ‘27, as well as a good run by Sophie McKenna ‘27, but the Bearcats managed to find a few open 3-pointers and reclaimed a 2 point lead heading into the final frame. Westminster held their composure, leaned on the energy from their teammates and the crowd, and kicked it into overdrive for the final minutes of the game. Monaco scored 7 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter, while Buda scored 5 of her 10. Lockwood, Evanko, and Donovan battled for every rebound, while Perillo harassed the Hotchkiss guards with relentless pressure. When the buzzer went off, the Martlets stormed the court in celebration of their first win of the season. It was a total team effort, and the team will look to continue on the path as they prepare for two more games to close out the week.