Women’s Basketball Falls to Albertus Magnus College, 79-61

SALEM, Mass. - Elms College junior forward Denisha Parks (Fall River, Mass.) netted a team-high 16 points but Albertus Magnus College used a game-high 25-point effort from Lianna Carrero (Hamden, Conn.) to help pace the Falcons to a 79-61 win over the Blazers in Sunday afternoon's women's basketball game during day one action of the Salem State University Holiday Tournament in Salem, Mass.

With the loss, Elms moves to 4-4 on the season, while Albertus Magnus improves to 3-6 overall.

A three-pointer by Carrero put Albertus Magnus up 14-4 early in the first half. However, Elms came charging back behind the play of junior forward Gianna Youngblood (East Freetown, Mass.) who swished a pair of three's during a 21-11 run that tied the game at 25 with four minutes remaining in the first period. 

The Falcons responded with their own 14-3 surge as Carrero and Lindsay Karle (Wallingford, Conn.) combined for all 14 points in the closing minutes to give Albertus Magnus a 39-28 lead at the break. 

The Falcons pulled away in the second half, leading by as many as 18 points in the first four minutes as Annie Sutila (Bridgeport, Conn.) and Carrero each scored a three to increase the lead to 51-33.

The Blazers narrowed their deficit 10 points (60-50) on a Parks jumper but could get no closer, as Albertus Magnus ran the lead to 20 and finished with a 79-61 victory.

Sutila totaled 16 points and Karle added 13 points off the bench for the Falcons, while Parks led Elms with 16 points, and 14 rebounds. Elms' freshman forward Alex Marques (Newington, Conn.) added 12 points, and eight boards and Youngblood contributed 11 rebounds for the Blazers.

Albertus Magnus moves on to the championship game which will be played on Monday, December 30 at 4:00 p.m. against the winner of Salem State and Skidmore College. Elms will play in the consolation game at 12:00 p.m. on Monday.