WPI Beats Women's Basketball in Final Game of 2024

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The Elms College Women's Basketball faced off against Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the Consolation Game in the annual Sandy DeWolf McCormack Memorial Holiday Tournament, at Nazareth University, Monday afternoon.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 51 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute 76
Records: Blazers 3-8, 0-0 (GNAC) | Engineers 5-5, 0-0 (NEWMAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

WPI would be the first to score, after making a three-point shot in the opening possession. The Engineers would go on to add an additional seven points, but Elms would see their first basket when junior guard Piper Graham (Lancaster, Penn.) made a jump shot in the third minute of play. WPI would add another basket, but the Blazers would add five more points to the scoreboard, after a free throw by first year forward/center Mary Turco (Winthrop, Mass.) and a layup by junior guard Kelly LeBel (Tolland, Conn.), following a steal by graduate student guard Rahmia Johnston (Newtown, Conn.). The two sides would continue the quarter trading possession, but five points would be scored in favor of Elms by junior forward Jenny Gorski (Vernon, Conn.), including a three-point play, assisted by LeBel, and a jump shot, assisted by sophomore guard Jade Lewis (Orlando, Fla.), to bring the score to a eight-point differential. But as the opening quarter began to enter its final seconds, the intrastate opponents would hold strong defensively, not allowing a single basket in the final two and a half minutes of play, including a second steal by Johnston, and the score would remain 20-12 going into the second quarter. The Engineers would once again be the first to score, but Turco would find an open sophomore guard/forward Shea Barron (Wallingford, Conn.) for a three-point shot. WPI would quickly respond with a three-pointer of their own, but Johnston would score seven points in the Blazers next three possessions, including a three-point shot of her own, and a jump shot, to bring the score to within five points. The two sides would continue to trade possession, including layups by junior forward/center Talia Uribe (South Hadley, Mass.), Gorski, and Johnston, along with a steal by Gorski, to help cut the Engineers' lead to one point, bringing the score to 29-28, but the WPI offense would continue to find their way to the basket and add to their lead. The Elms defense would not give up, as they would continue their efforts to create their own momentum with the assistance of a steal by Turco. As the final minute of the half began to wind down, Johnston would draw a foul and would make both free throw attempts. Following her trip to the line, Johnston would make a steal that would lead to a three-point shot from Graham to bring the score back to within one point, 34-33 WPI. But before the Blazers could take their lead of the game, the horn would sound, with the Engineers maintaining their lead going into the halftime break. Elms would go into the break with the offensive hand, outscoring their intrastate opponent 21-14 in the second quarter.

The third quarter would once again see WPI scoring first, adding eight points to their lead, but the Blazers would see a layup and a steal by Lewis, along with a steal from Graham, but the Engineers offense would continue to add upon their lead. A jump shot by Gorski and a layup from Turco would help create some momentum for Elms, but the WPI defense would hold strong. As the third quarter began to wind down with two seconds remaining, the Engineers thought they would go into the break with the upperhand, but Graham would find an opportunity to pass the ball to an open Turco for a layup, to give the Blazers late momentum going into the fourth quarter with a score of 57-41. Even though WPI would score first once again, Lewis would score on a three-point shot and the Elms defense would create steals from Barron and Lewis, not allowing their opponent to score again until the fourth minute of play in the quarter. As the quarter went on, the Blazers would continue their attempts to create new opportunities, including a layup by Gorski, successful free throw attempts by Lewis and Turco, and a steal and block by Turco. As the final minutes ticked off the clock, the Engineers would continue to add to their lead. But with under a minute remaining, junior forward Ta'Niyah Scott (Towson, Md.) would find her way to the basket, scoring a layup. Even with the late effort, WPI would score one last basket to secure the game and third place in the DeWolf McCormack Memorial Tournament, defeating Elms 76-51.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

• Madalynn Kelly - MVP, Nazareth University
• Kiara Anglin, Nazareth University
• Sarina McDowell, Nazareth University
• Ella Marchesani, University of Hartford
• Alice Kelly, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• Jade Lewis, Elms College

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Gorski - 13 points, six rebounds, and a steal.

• Johnston - 11 points, three steals, and two assists.

• Lewis -  seven points, two assists, and two steals.

• Turco - six points, six rebounds, two steals, an assist, and a block.

• Graham - five points, three rebounds, an assist, and a steal.

• Barron - four rebounds, three points, and a steal.

• Uribe - three rebounds, two points, and an assist.

• LeBel - two points and an assist.

• Scott - two points and a rebound.

UP NEXT: The Elms College Women's Basketball team will start the New Year at home hosting Johnson & Wales University in their conference opener at 1 pm at Picknelly Arena.

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