Box Score WORCESTER, Mass.--Tough defense down the stretch and a career night from Ashani Petrizzi (Deerfield, Mass./Greenfield) led the Smith College basketball team past Clark University 69-66 in overtime on Wednesday in a critical New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference game.

Petrizzi scored a career high 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, pulled down five rebounds, and blocked two shots as Smith (12-9, 9-6 NEWMAC) came from behind in overtime to split the season series with the Cougars (8-14, 7-8 NEWMAC).  Smith had lost the first encounter 59-55 in Northampton, back on January 13.

Smith took a four point lead into the halftime break, thanks to an 10-5 run that opened the game which started on consecutive baskets by Petrizzi and Amanda Zakoske (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School), and was finished by Devon Quattrocchi (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster)'s jumper and another bucket from Petrizzi.  Clark pulled within one on Lily Colley's foul shot with 12:11 to play in the half, only to see the Pioneers rattle off 10 of the next 14 points to, six of which were scored by Ellie Giles (Charlottesville, Va./St. Annes Belfield) to open up a 22-15 advantage.  Five straight points from Colley cut the deficit to four points at halftime, and the Cougars continued where they left off in the second half, opening the period on a 7-2 run finished by a basket from Kate Minister that gave Clark a 31-30 lead.

The game went back-and-forth in the second half, with no team going up by any more than four until Zakoske set up a basket for Petrizzi with 4:30 to play that gave Smith a 52-47 lead, but four straight free throws by Clark pulled them within one, and when Minister nailed a three with 2:40 left, the Cougars were up 56-54.  Marissa Munoz-Ruiz (Fairfield, Calif./Justin-Siena) tied the game on the next possesion, and and Smith took their final lead in regulation with 1:19 to go on Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth)'s short range hoop.  Ashleigh Condon scored with 22 seconds left to tie the game at 60, and Zakoske missed at the buzzer to send to the game to overtime. 

Clark quickly took a three point lead in the extra frame with two foul shots from Reilly and another from Minister, and after Condon knocked down another free throw, Clark held a 66-62 lead with 1:34 to play, but the Cougars would not score again as Smith rallied.  Munoz-Ruiz got the rally going with a pair of free throws, followed by a thee from Libby Dutton (Deering, N.H./Hillsboro-Deering) - her only basket and Smith's only three of the game - to take the lead for good.  Clark went 0-for-4 from the floor in the final 56 seconds, and Zakoske's free throws wrapped up a win that keeps Smith in the hunt for a home NEWMAC tournament game.

Smith made up for a poor shooting night by sinking 14 of 19 free throws, and forcing 33 Clark turnovers.  Zakoske led Smith with 17 points, while Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth) posted her third double-double of the season with 12 points and a season-high tying 14 rebounds.  Emily Reilly led all scorers with 21 points for the Cougars.

Smith will keep the good momentum going with their final home game against Wheaton College this Saturday at 2 p.m.  Wheaton won the opening matchup 62-54 on January 24.