Women's Hoops Protects The Paint In Season-Opening Win Over Wentworth

CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Elms College women's basketball team dominated the paint en route to a 70-53 season-opening victory over Wentworth in Picknelly Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Blazer (1-0) post players Niah Pantry (New Haven, Conn.) and Angelica Peguero-Flores (Springfield, Mass.) each turned in double-doubles. Pantry led all scorers with 23 points and added 15 boards, including seven offensive. Peguero-Flores added 11 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. The Blazers out-rebounded Wentworth (0-1) 57-41 and outscored the Leopards 42-16 in the paint.

The Blazers jumped out to a 22-12 lead after the first quarter and never trailed in the contest. Elms shot 40.3 percent from the field and held to Leopards to a 28.8 percent clip. Neither team was particularly efficient at the free throw line, as Elms hit half of its 16 attempts while Wentworth connected on 11 of 23.

Molly Moulton (North Adams, Mass.) chipped in with eight points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals for the Blazers while Regina LeBlanc (Enfield, Conn.) added 11 points, seven boards and four steals.

Erin Morton (Norway, Maine) led Wentworth with 19 points, six rebounds and four assists. Morton hit 7-of-10 shots from the field and both of her 3-point attempts. Stephanie Mini (Topsfield, Mass.) added 13 points and two rebounds and Francesca Matira (Ledyard, Conn.) contributed seven points and two rebounds.

Elms will continue its three-game season-opening home stand on Nov. 14 when Rhode Island College visits Picknelly Arena at 7:00 p.m. Wentworth will return to action on Nov. 13 at Eastern Nazarene.