Basketball Downs Wellesley Blue in NEWMAC Opener, 52-35
WELLESEY, Mass. - The Wellesley College basketball team dropped its New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opener this afternoon as the Blue fell to Mount Holyoke College, 52-35. The win brings the Lyons to 8-4 on the season and 1-0 in the NEWMAC, while the Blue drops to 3-7 overall and 0-1 in NEWMAC action.
After trading baskets in the opening seven minutes of the contest to have the teams knotted at nine apiece, back-to-back MHC three pointers from first year Erin Cain (Quincy, Mass.) and junior Marisa Barone (Ludlow, Mass.) would give the Lyons the lead for the remainder of the contest with 11:52 left in the half. The Lyons would lead by as many 11 before the break and entered the intermission with a 31-23 advantage.
MHC continued to breakaway in the second frame as the Lyons held the Blue to just two points in the first nine minutes of the second stanza, while managing to sink 15 points of their own. The run granted MHC a 46-25 lead with just over ten minutes remaining. First-year Jessica Olson (Gilbert, Ariz.) led the second half charge for MHC as the rookie netted six points in the Lyons' second half opening run. MHC led by as many as 20 in the second frame as the Lyons went on to grab the 52-35 victory. The Blue was plagued by 15.4 % shooting in the second half, while MHC shot 45.0% from the floor.
Blue sophomore Jessica Duff (Milton Abingdon, UK) led Wellesley with nine points and four rebounds. Junior co-captain Courtney Pelley (Leicester, Mass.) chipped in seven points, and first-year Laura Barrett (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) added six points for the Blue. Classmate Katie Martore (Great Falls, Va.) led the team in assists as she dished out six.
For MHC, Olson paced the Lyons with 13 points and seven rebounds. Senior co-captain Joeanna Silvey (Boston, Mass.) netted 12 points, while Barone totaled nine in the win.
MHC returns to action on Tuesday, January 9th against Springfield College at 7 p.m.