Val Beckwith '09

STATS: Bates 75, Babson 64

BABSON PARK, Mass. -- Sophomore Val Beckwith (Woburn, Mass.) scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Bates College women's basketball team to a 75-64 victory over host Babson College in the championship game of the 2006 Babson Invitational Tournament presented by Irving Oil on Sunday afternoon. 

Beckwith won Tournament MVP honors and notched her career high in points for the second straight game, after posting 21 points in a win over SUNY Geneseo on Saturday. Her 11 rebounds were also a career high.

With the win, the Bobcats (2-0) avenged their championship game defeat to the Beavers (1-1) back in 2003.

Bates exploded out of the gates in the first half, building an 18-3 advantage in the first six minutes of play. Senior Katie Franklin (New Preston, Conn.) scored five points during the run, while Beckwith capped it off with four straight points. The Bobcats would later push the lead to as many as 17 at 40-23 before entering the half with a 40-27 cushion.

Babson fought back throughout the second half, but Bates answered each threat with a key run to keep the Beavers at bay. The home team cut its deficit to six at 43-37 in the first four minutes of the second period, but the Bobcats responded with an 8-0 run that was fueled by four points from first-year Lauren Yanofsky (Belmont, Mass.) and a conventional three-point play by junior Matia Kostakis (Andover, Mass.).

Babson once again pulled to within striking distance at 64-56 with six minutes left to play, but Beckwith led Bates on a 9-0 spurt that effectively put the contest out of reach.

Beckwith shot 8-for-13 from the field for her game-high 22 points, while Kostakis posted the Bobcats' second double-double of the day, and her second in two games, with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Sarah Barton (Portsmouth, N.H.) was also outstanding for Bates, recording a game-high 12 assists and four steals while hitting two clutch three-pointers in the second half. Kostakis and Barton both joined Beckwith on the All-Tournament Team.

Leading Babson in defeat was junior All-Tournament selection Bekie Berg (West Brookfield, Mass.), who gave her team a huge spark off the bench by recording 20 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists. Senior co-captain Suzy Ward (North Attleboro, Mass.) added 18 points and six boards for the Beavers, while junior Nicole McManus (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) finished with eight points, five rebounds, and a game-high three blocked shots.

Bates will host the University of Southern Maine Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

2006 BIT/Irving Oil All-Tournament Team

Val Beckwith, Bates College - Most Valuable Player

Matia Kostakis, Bates College

Sarah Barton, Bates College

Bekie Berg, Babson College

Annie Verdino, SUNY Geneseo

Kathleen Nicholson, Colby College

-- Release courtesy of Babson College Sports Information