Women's Basketball Sting Hornets for First Home Victory of the Season

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Basketball hosted Vermont State University-Lyndon in a non-conference matchup Thursday evening at Picknelly Arena.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 71 | Vermont State University-Lyndon 57
Records: Blazers 3-5, 0-0 (GNAC) | Hornets 2-5, 0-0 (NAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The game would start off with Elms scoring on their first possession after a three-point shot by sophomore guard Jade Lewis (Orlando, Fla.). The two opposing sides would then contest for the ball, but neither team would see a basket until first-year forward/center Mary Turco (Winthrop, Mass.) found a pass from junior forward/center Talia Uribe (South Hadley, Mass.) for a jump shot. Seconds later, junior guard Piper Graham (Lancaster, Penn.) would be fouled while attempting a three-point shot and would make two out of three free throw attempts. Lewis would make a steal, but once again both sides would compete for possession but VTSU-Lyndon would get on the board after a three-pointer of their own, to make the score 7-3, until Lewis would make a layup and junior forward Jenny Gorski (Vernon, Conn.) would record a steal and a layup to keep the Blazers in the lead. Moments later, junior Kelly LeBel (Tolland, Conn.) would connect with an open Graham for a three-point shot, followed by a steal by Uribe, to extend their lead to 11-points. Elms would continue to create pressure when LeBel would then find Gorksi open for a second layup. The Hornets would capitalize by scoring a second three-point shot until graduate guard Rahmia Johnston (Newtown, Conn.) would respond with a three-pointer of her own. As the clock wound down towards the end of the opening quarter, sophomore guard/forward Sophia Andrade (Southwick, Mass.) would find Graham open for a three-point shot and VTSU-Lyndon would connect with a last second three-point shot of their own, but the Blazers would hold their 22-9 lead. The second quarter would see steals by Turco, Lewis, Johnston, and Gorksi, along with a free throw shot from Lewis. The Hornets would get back on the board after making a pair of free throws and layups, along with a jump, but a layup by Turco, a three-point shot by Graham, and a jump shot by LeBel, along with a pair of free throws and a last second steal by Lewis, would assist Elms in keeping the 32-18 lead heading into the halftime break.

The third quarter would begin with a different narrative, as VTSU-Lyndon would score 10 points. As the Blazers defense seemed to have stepped off the gas, Gorski and Johnston would make steals and Graham would sink another three-point shot and back-to-back layups by Gorski. The Hornets would respond with three-straight three-point shots. Graham would make a layup for Elms, but VTSU-Lyndon's offense would continue their pressure bringing the game to within one point at the end of the quarter, 43-42. As the fourth quarter began, the Blazers would hop back on their horse offensively as Turco recorded a three-point play, after drawing a foul as she made a layup. Moments later, Gorski would make a steal and a tip-in layup, followed by another three-point shot by Graham, her fifth of the evening. Turco would make back-to-back layups, but the Hornets would continue their efforts to trim their opposition's lead after scoring five additional points, but Elms would not let up, as Lewis would sink a three-point shot, LeBel and Johnston each recorded layups, along with a steal by Graham and a block from Gorski. As the finals minutes ticked down off the clock, VTSU-Lyndon would add a three-pointer, a layup, and three free throws, but the Blazers would hold strong to defeat the Hornets 71-57, to secure their first victory at home for the 2024-2025 season in their final home game of the 2024 calendar year.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Graham - 24 points, six rebounds, a steal, and an assist.

• Turco - 11 points, seven rebounds, a steal, and an assist.

• Lewis - 11 points, five rebounds, and three steals.

• Johnston - 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

• Gorski - 14 rebounds, 10 points, four steals, and a block.

• LeBel - four points, two rebounds, and two assists.

• Uribe - four rebounds, a point, steal, and an assist.

UP NEXT: The Elms College Women's Basketball team will travel to Amherst, Mass. to take on Amherst College in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday, December 10th at 7 pm before taking a rest for the Winter Break.

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