Women's Basketball Advances to GNAC Quarterfinals After Beating Lasell in Play-In

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Number Eight Seeded Elms College Women's Basketball hosted the Number Nine Seeded Lasell University in the Play-In Round of the 2024-2025 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Tournament Monday evening at Picknelly Arena.

BASICS
Score: No. 8 Elms College 66 | No. 9 Lasell University 60
Records: Blazers 10-16, 6-8 (GNAC) | Lazers 11-15, 6-8 (GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

At the start of the first quarter the ball would go back and forth until Lasell put the first points on the board. Then Elms would get the ball and first year forward/center Mary Turco (Winthrop, Mass.) would get an offensive rebound and tip the ball into the basket. Then junior guard Piper Graham (Lancaster, Penn.) would get a defensive rebound and junior forward/center Talia Uribe (South Hadley, Mass.) would make a jump shot. After Lasell put up some more points, graduate student guard Rahmia Johnston (Newton, Conn.) would get a pass from sophomore guard Jade Lewis (Orlando, Fla.) and would make a three point jump shot. After more back and forth and more points put up by the Lasers Johnston would pass the ball to Uribe who made a jump shot which closed the gap. At the end of the first quarter, junior forward Jenny Gorski (Vernon, Conn,) would steal the ball. We would see the same narrative in the second quarter, where Lasell put up the first points. However after more back and forth, Lewis would make a layup. Then Lewis would pass the ball to Johnston who made a three point jump shot for the Blazers. Lewis would steal the ball from the Lasers, but then Laseel would foul Johnston who made both free throw attempts. The Lasers would foul Elms again, but this time it was on Gorski, who made one out of the two free throw attempts. After the missed free throw, Gorski would get an offensive rebound which gave Turco the opportunity to make a layup. After the Blazers deadball rebound, Uribe would be fouled and make one out of the two free throw attempts. Then Johnston would steal the ball and the Lasers would foul Elms again. Lewis would make one out of the two free throw attempts. After another steal from Johnston, Lasell would foul Elms again and Johnston would make both free throw attempts. This would only put the Blazers done by one. After Lasell put up more points to hold the lead, they would foul Lewis, who made one out of the two free throw attempts. Elms would capitalize on the fouls made by Lasell, especially when they fouled Lewis, who made one out of the two free throw attempts. At the end of the second quarter, Elms would be down by three, 28-25

At the start of the third quarter, Elms would put up the first points with a three point jump shot made by Lewis. Then Graham would pass the ball to Turco, who made a layup. Turco would make a defensive rebound and Lewis was given the opportunity to make a jump shot. Lasell would take back the lead, but Lewis would decrease the difference with a layup from a pass from sophomore guard/forward Sophia Andrade (Southwick, Mass.). Then first year guard Gabby Wasiewicz (Worcester, Mass.) would get a defensive rebound, which gave the opportunity for Andrade to make a three point jump shot from a pass from Lewis. After more back and forth, Uribe would tie the game with a tip-in after making an offensive rebound. Then Lewis would make a layup after the Laser took back the lead. At the end of the third quarter, Johnston would tie the game with a three point jump shot with an assist from Andrade. Elms put up the first points of the fourth quarter with a layup made by Johnston which was made possible by a defensive rebound made by Uribe. Then Turco would get a defensive rebound and then Lewis made a layup. After more back and forth, Lasell would take back the lead, but then Uribe would be fouled and make both free throw attempts to tie the game. Then Uribe would get a defensive rebound and Johnston would make a layup. The Lasers would foul the Blazers and Johnston would make her one free throw attempt. Then Lewis would be fouled and would make one out of the two free throw attempts. With two minutes left, Uribe would pass the ball to Andrade, who would make a three point jump shot. Then Lewis would be fouled and make both free throw attempts. Johnston would be the next to be fouled and make both free throw attempts. With back to back fouls, Lewis would make one out the two free throw attempts and Johnston would also make one out the two free throw attempts. The Blazers would hold the lead, which was clenched with Johnston making one out the two free throw attempts. Elms would take home the lead and advance to the quarterfinals, 66-60.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Lewis - 22 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

• Johnston - 22 points, two rebounds, an assist, and two steals.

• Uribe - nine points, five rebounds, and two assists.

• Turco - six points and six rebounds.

• Andrade - six points, two rebounds, an assist, and a steal.

• Gorski - a point, 11 rebounds, two steals, and a block.

UP NEXT: The Elms College Women's Basketball team will travel to Johnson and Wales University to face off in the Quarterfinals of the GNAC Tournament on Tuesday, February 25th at 6 pm.

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