Women's Basketball Hosts Johnson & Wales in Conference Opener

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Basketball kicked off the 2025 calendar hosting Johnson & Wales University in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Opener Saturday afternoon at Picknelly Arena.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 66 | Johnson & Wales University 86
Records: Blazers 3-9, 0-1 (GNAC) | Wildcats 10-1, 1-0 (GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Johnson & Wales would be the first to score, after making a pair of free throws, but Elms would quickly respond as junior guard Piper Graham (Lancaster, Penn.) would find an open graduate student guard Rahmia Johnston (Newtown, Conn.) for a three-point shot to take the lead momentarily, but the Wildcats would sink a layup in their next possession, followed by a three-pointer of their own, to take back the lead. Junior forwards Talia Uribe (South Hadley, Mass.), Jenny Gorski (Vernon, Conn.), and sophomore guard Jade Lewis (Orlando, Fla.) would each take trips to the free throw line, making five out of six attempts, and sophomore guard/forward Shea Barron (Wallingford, Conn.) and Johnston would both record a steal. The two sides would continue to trade scoreless possessions, until JWU would add a layup and a three-point shot, but Lewis would drive her way to the hoop for a layup to keep the game 12-10. As the Wildcats made their way down the court to attempt to score another basket, the Blazers defense held strong, as Johnston would add a second steal to the boxscore, which would lead to Graham making a three-point shot, but Johnson & Wales would find the basket after a made jump shot. As the clock wound down to the final minutes, the Blazers offense would continue to find ways to score, as sophomore guard/forward Sophia Andrade (Southwick, Mass.) and Lewis made back-to-back three-pointers. The Wildcats would also sink a pair of layups, but Elms would manage to go into the first quarter break with a 19-18 lead. The second quarter would once again see JWU be the first to score, after making a three-point shot in their second possession of the quarter. The two conference foes would continue to trade possession, the Blazers would create opportunities to battle for the lead; as with Johnston added a layup, a free throw, and a steal to her first half totals, Uribe made a pair of free throw attempts, first year forward/center Mary Turco (Winthrop, Mass.) made two layups and a pair of free throws, along with a block, Graham sinking a second three-pointer and a pair of free throws, and Lewis creating a steal, along with a free throw from Barron, but the Wildcats would take over the lead going into the halftime break, 42-36.

The two sides would come out the break with strong defensive strategies, including a block from Lewis, but Johnson & Wales would be the first to score, adding four points to their lead. Uribe would make a third pair of free throws, but the Wildcats offense would continue to add upon their lead, adding an additional 12-points. In the fourth-minute of play, Turco would connect with an open Lewis for a three-point shot, followed by a layup by Johnston shortly later. As the quarter went on, Turco would make a pair of layups, steal and block a layup attempt, followed by a three-pointer and a block by junior guard Kelly LeBel (Tolland, Conn.), and Johnston would make a free throw attempt, along with a steal by Andrade, but JWU would hold on to the lead, 72-51 going into the final quarter. Unlike the previous quarters, Elms would be the first to score, after Graham would connect with Turco for a layup. The Wildcats would make a jump shot, but the Blazers defense held strong to create offensive opportunities, including a block by Turco that would lead into a layup from Graham. As Johnson & Wales continued to add baskets, the Elms offense would continue their efforts to cut down their opponent's lead, seeing a layup and a jump shot from Lewis, a pair of free throws by Johnston, and a three-point shot from Barron, but the Wildcats would defeat the Blazers 86-66.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Turco - 15 rebounds, 14 points, three assists, three blocks, and a steal.

• Lewis - 14 points, five rebounds, a block, and a steal.

• Johnston - 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

• Graham - 10 points, three rebounds, and two assists.

• Uribe - six points and five rebounds.

• Barron - four points, two rebounds, an assist, and a steal.

• Andrade - three points, a rebounds and a steal.

• LeBel - three points, two rebounds, an assist, and a block.

• Gorski - one point, and a rebound.

UP NEXT: The Elms College Women's Basketball team will travel to Nashua, N.H. to take on Rivier University in a conference matchup on Tuesday, January 7th at 4 pm.

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