MCLA Defeats Elms in The Blazer Tip-off Tournament Title Game, 69-59
MCLA Defeats Elms 69-59 In Women's Basketball Blazer Tip-Off Tournament
Consolation Game: Simmons College defeats
Johnson State, 74-52 Box Score
Championship Game: Mass. College of Liberal Arts
defeats Elms College 69-59 Box Score
Chicopee, Mass. - Simmons College's
Jessica Thomas (East Sandwich, Mass.), Julianna Eagles
(Qunicy, Mass.) and Stephanie Fox (West
Springfield, Mass.) all scored 16 points en route to a
74-52 victory over Johnson State in the 2009 women's basketball
Blazer Tip-Off Tournament. In the championship game, Massachusetts
College of Liberal Arts' (MCLA) Molly Broda (Southampton,
Mass.) scored 14 points to pace the Trailblazers to a
69-59 victory over Elms College. The Blazers' Carolyn
Talmadge (Wilbraham, Mass.) led all scorers with 16
points.
Simmons College 74, Johnson State 52
Simmons and Johnson were tied at five in the early going before
two free throws from Liz O’Connor (Milton,
Mass.) capped off a 10 point run to put Simmons ahead.
Simmons did not look back as they extended their lead to 20 with
seven minutes left to go in the first half. Stephanie Fox
(West Springfield, Mass.) led all scorers in the first
half with 11 points. The second half was dominated by Simmons as
Johnson State never lowered the deficit beyond 16 points. As the
game concluded, Simmons sailed to a victory, winning by a margin of
22 points.
Simmons had a three-pronged offensive attack as Jessica
Thomas (East Sandwich, Mass.) Julianna Eagles
(Qunicy, Mass.) and Fox each scored 16 points for the
Sharks.
Simmons College held Johnson State to just 28 percent from the
field.
Johnson State’s offensive bright spots came from
Maria Gleason (Enosburg, V.T.) as she dropped 12
points and Lauren Lepage (Rumford, Maine) who
added 10 points for the Badgers.
MCLA 69, Elms College 59
Elms College’s Carolyn Talmadge (Wilbraham,
Mass.) scored a game-high 16 points, but it was
MCLA’s clutch play down the stretch that gave them the
victory in the Blazer Tip-off Tournament on Saturday at Picknelly
Arena.
With the loss, Elms drops their first game of the season falling
to 1-1 early in the season, while the win propels MCLA to a 3-0
start.
Neither team seemed to gain an advantage in the first half as the
lead changed eight different times, and was tied on six different
occasions. The biggest advantage for either side was a mere four
point advantage by MCLA. The end of the half ended on a strong note
for the Blazers as Katie Condon (Sandy Hook,
Conn.) hit a three pointer to give Elms a one point
advantage going into halftime, 26-25.
In the second half MCLA jumped out to a nine point advantage only
to have Elms storm back, capping off an 8-0 run with an
Annie Dunnack (Mansfield Center, Conn.) jumper.
The battle continued as MCLA saw themselves down by two with just
under five minutes to play before a basket by Wehner, starting an
11-0 run that Elms was unable to climb back from. Up by nine, MCLA
was able to sustain for the duration of the game beating Elms
College by the final score 69-59.
Leading the Blazers was Talmadge with 16 points, while Amanda
Brogna netted 11 points and brought down six rebounds. Dunnack
grabbed seven boards in the losing effort.
The offense for MCLA was led by Molly Broda (Southampton,
Mass.) as she put in 14 points. Perks and Laura
Silverman (Clifton Park, N.Y.) both scored 12 in the
winning effort. Wehner was a beast on the boards with 13
rebounds.
2009 Women's Basketball Blazer Tip-Off All-Tournament
Team
Most Valuable Player:
Jen Wehner (MCLA) netted a total of 29 points and 25 boards for
the tournament.
All Tournament Players:
Hilary Perks (MCLA), Carolyn Talmadge (Elms), Amanda Brogna
(Elms), Stephanie Fox (Simmons), Maria Gleason (Johnson State)
The Blazers hit the road next as they visit Smith College on
Tuesday, Nov. 24 in Northampton, Mass.