Late Rally Lifts Women’s Basketball Over Daniel Webster College, 52-47

NASHUA, N.H. – Elms College freshman forward Denisha Parks (Fall River, Mass.) netted a team-high 16 points and secured a game-best 16 rebounds to help pace the Blazers to a 52-47 victory over Daniel Webster College in Saturday's New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) women's basketball game in Nashua, N.H.

With the win, Elms extends its winning streak to four games to improve to 11-5 overall, 8-1 in conference play, while Daniel Webster falls to 9-6 overall, 5-3 in league action.

Elms, which shot 31.3-percent from the floor, had three players record double-doubles as Parks finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds, while senior forward Erika Murphy (Torrington, Conn.) added 10 points and 13 rebounds, and junior guard Jennifer Normandie (Westford, Mass.) totaled 12 points and 12 rebounds in the winning effort.

The Blazers' offense was directed by senior guard Carolyn Talmadge (Wilbraham, Mass.) who dished out six assists and scored in six points in addition to pulling down eight boards.

Elms enjoyed a 63-41 advantage on the glass, held Daniel Webster to 25.4-percent shooting from the field, and hit on 10 of 11 from the free throw line (90.9-percent).

After a back and forth start to the opening period, the Eagles pulled a head to a nine-point 21-12 lead with 7:08 to play in the first half before a Parks layup sparked a 10- 5 run by the Blazers to end the half to set the score at 26-22 in favor of Daniel Webster.

The Eagles held their advantage throughout much of the second frame and posted a 47-42 lead with 2:02 remaining in the contest. Elms' Normandie and sophomore guard Emily Boucher (Ashburnham, Mass.) drained back-to-back jump shots to pull Elms to within one at 47-46 setting up Murphy who delivered a go-ahead layup with 1:06 on the clock to give the Blazers a 48-46 edge.

A basket underneath by Parks with 29 seconds left gave the Blazers a 50-47 lead, and after a misfire on a three-point attempt by Daniel Webster, Boucher sealed the game with a pair of foul shots to give Elms a 52-47 win.

Alycia Gervais (Windham, Conn.) poured in a game-high 19 points and joined Emily Travis (Somerset, Mass.) in securing a team-best nine boards, while Kristen Murphy (Woodstock, Vt.) collected nine points.

Allyssa Marson (Augusta, Maine) scored eight points off the bench, while Sarah Paternostro (Glastonbury, Conn.) tallied seven points in the losing effort for Daniel Webster.

Elms returns to NECC play on Tuesday, Jan. 24 when its hosts Southern Vermont College at 7:00 p.m.