Women’s Basketball Outlasted by Plymouth State University, 77-71

PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Elms College sophomore forward Denisha Parks (Fall River, Mass.) scored a team-high 19 points and hauled in a game-best 15 rebounds, but Plymouth State University received a game-high 23 points from Krystin Corliss (Loudon, N.H.) who was 12 of 14 from the free throw line to help propel the Panthers to a 77-71 victory over the Blazers in Saturday afternoon's non-conference women's basketball game at Foley Gym.

With the loss, Elms moves to 0-2 on the season, while Plymouth State improves to 1-1 overall.

After playing to a 29-29 deadlock at halftime, the sides continued to battle back and forth in the early moments of the second half. Through the first 9:05 of play, neither team led by more than two points and following a Parks layup at the 11:14 mark, Corliss answered with a bucket underneath of her own to set the score at 41-41.

The Panthers then went on a 23-8 run to notch a lead of as many as 15 when Katie Seraikas (Concord, N.H.) hit the back-end of two foul shots to give Plymouth State a 64-49 cushion with 4:24 to play.

A pair of made free throws by Elms' junior guard Ellen Donohue (Southington, Conn.) ignited a 11-5 run by the Blazers that was highlighted by a three-pointer from sophomore guard Gianna Youngblood (East Freetown, N.Y.) and capped by a pair of free throws by Parks to set the score at 69-60 with 1:48 to play.

Despite a pair of treys by Donohue and freshman guard Jenna Oyler (Metuchen, N.J.), Elms could not pull to within less than nine until Oyler's three-pointer with 11 seconds left set the final score at 77-71 as the Panthers converted 6 of 8 from the free throw line over the final 1:44 of the contest.

Parks hit on 6 of 19 from the floor and 7 of 9 from the stripe en route to her 19 points, while senior guard Jen Normandie (Westford, Mass.) was 8 of 10 from the line to highlight her 16-point output in the losing effort.

Oyler contributed 15 points off the bench on the strength of 8 of 10 from the charity stripe, while Youngblood sank two treys to highlight her nine-point effort. Oyler and Parks combined for seven of the Blazers' 10 steals, and Oyler and Donohue each dished out three assists.

Corliss added four steals and three assists to her 23-point afternoon, while Seraikas poured in 10 points and collected 10 rebounds to go along with five steals and three assists.

Hannah Andry (Melrose, Mass.) triggered in 16 points off the bench and Meghan Faretra (Bow, N.H.) chipped in nine on the strength of a pair from beyond the arc to help pace Plymouth State to victory.

For her efforts, Parks was selected as Elms' representative on the all-tournament team.

The Blazers return to action on Monday, Nov. 19 at Anna Maria College. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. in Paxton, Mass.