SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Six-foot junior Shaina Cooney had nine points and seven rebounds in a 20-point Western New England University fourth quarter that allowed the Golden Bears to pull away to a 63-52 non-conference win over Eastern Connecticut State University Tuesday evening at the Alumni Healthful Living Center on the WNE campus.
 
Eastern (2-2) led by nine points with six minutes left in the third quarter before Western New England (4-2) rallied, outscoring Eastern by 12 points over the final ten minutes after the Warriors had carried a slim one-point lead into the fourth quarter.
 
In the fourth quarter, Eastern missed nine of 11 field goals and was out-rebounded, 18-6, including 9-0 on the offensive boards as the Golden Bears outscored Eastern, 14-4, in the paint and 6-0 off second chances.
 
Cooney led all players with 16 points and 12 rebounds, with six-foot graduate student Lindsey Carey coming off the bench for 15 points. Carey was 6-of-8 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from distance.
 
Eastern starters scored all but two of Eastern's points as the Warriors were outscored, 24-2, off the bench.
 
Junior forward Taylor Salato (East Haven) had 13 points, nine rebounds and four assists and only one turnover in 36 minutes. Junior guard Kya Mayo (Middletown) added ten points and six rebounds and first-year point guard Nevaeh Clark (Cromwell) had five assists.
 
Eastern hosts Connecticut College in a non-conference game Sunday at 3 p.m.