LaRochelle Scores 18 Points In Senior Day Win

CHICOPEE, Mass. – It was a Senior Day to remember for Mackenzie LaRochelle, as the Chicopee, Mass., native led the Elms College women's basketball team to a 59-46 victory over Southern Vermont in New England Collegiate Conference play on Saturday afternoon.

LaRochelle scored a game-high 18 points and added seven rebounds for the Blazers. The lone Blazer senior, LaRochelle was honored in a pregame Senior Day ceremony.

Freshman Regina LeBlanc (Enfield, Conn.) added 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists for Elms, and freshman Angelica Peguero-Flores (Springfield, Mass.) finished with 10 points, four rebounds and two blocks. Junior Niah Pantry (New Haven, Conn.) scored eight points, grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds and rejected three shots off the bench for the Blazers.

Junior Maddy Main (Bennington, Vt.) led the Mountaineers (4-21, 3-13 NECC) with 12 points and 13 rebounds while sophomore Taylor Mallett (Berwick, Maine) added 15 points and four assists for Southern Vermont.

Elms opened the game on an 8-0 run, which started with a quick layup from LaRochelle just three seconds into the contest. The Mountaineers, however, responded with a 14-3 run and led 16-14 after the first quarter. The Blazers used another 8-0 run to open the second quarter to regain a lead they would not relinquish.  

The Blazers shot just 30.8 percent (25-of-73) from the field but a remarkable 27 offensive rebounds resulted in 16 second-chance points to keep the Elms offense flowing. Meanwhile, the Blazers held SVC to 30.2 percent shooting (19-of-63) and blocked seven shots. Elms finished the game with a 58-39 rebounding advantage overall.

Elms clinches its seventh consecutive winning record in conference play with the win, improving 10-15 overall and finishing NECC play with a 9-7 record. The Blazers will host NECC Quarterfinal game on Feb. 20 at 7:00 p.m. Elms has been better than .500 in league play every season since 2011-12.