Courtesy of Mount Holyoke College Sports
Information
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Using a balanced
scoring attack, the Mount Holyoke College women’s basketball
team picked up a 60-50 triumph over New England Women’s and
Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) foe MIT this afternoon at
the Mildred S. Howard Gymnasium. With the win, the Lyons completed
the season sweep of the Engineers and clinched a spot in the
upcoming NEWMAC Tournament.
Four players reached double digits in the scoring column for the
Lyons, who converted 46.8% (22-47) of their shots from the field
and 82.4% (14-17) of their free throw attempts. They were paced by
Angelica Pascual, who collected 14 points and nine rebounds. Jess
Olson tallied 11 points, while Erin Cain and Tricia Chase added 10
apiece. Cain matched her career high with seven assists in the
contest. Mount Holyoke finished with a 36-24 edge on the glass.
Anna Merrifield recorded 12 points and eight boards, including six
off the offensive glass, to lead the way for MIT. Lauren Sascha
Burton tallied nine points and five rebounds while Sally Simpson
added nine points and two steals. Stephanie Cooke posted eight
points as Kristen Whaley contributed five points, two steals, and
two rebounds.
Neither side led by more than six points in a first half that saw
four ties and three lead changes. Mount Holyoke jumped out to a
12-6 advantage midway through the opening frame behind six Pascual
points. MIT scored the next five points and grabbed a 20-18 edge
following a pair of free throws by Kristen Whaley.
The Engineers enjoyed a 22-20 edge at the 1:41 mark, but Mount
Holyoke reeled off the next six points to take a 26-22 cushion into
the locker room. Pascual highlighted the rally with a baseline
jumper at the buzzer.
Mount Holyoke pulled away with a 12-2 spurt in the early stages of
the second stanza. The Lyons stretched their cushion to 44-32 on a
pair of Pascual free throws with 13:11 remaining in regulation. The
first year registered six more points during the run, which spanned
just four minutes.
MIT sliced the deficit to six points on two occasions, the last on
a three-pointer by Merrifield to make the score, 56-48, with 2:53
left to play. Christine Chancy replied with a layup 10 seconds
later and free throws from Emilie Methot at the 1:40 mark returned
the double-digit advantage to the Lyons. Burton drained a jumper
with a under minute to go, but Olson responded with a basket of her
own to cap the scoring.
Both squads will resume their NEWMAC schedules on the road
Wednesday night. Mount Holyoke (8-15, 6-10 NEWMAC) will travel to
the Coast Guard Academy for a contest beginning at 7:00 p.m., while
MIT (5-17, 3-13 NEWMAC) will visit WPI at 7:30 p.m.