Women's Hoops Beats MCLA for Third-Straight Victory

CHICOPEE, MA - The Elms College Women's Basketball team returned home to compete against the MCLA Trailblazers, in a non-conference matchup, in which they would pick up their third-straight victory.

BASICS

Score: Elms College 60 | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 46

Records: Blazers 9-7, 3-2 (GNAC) | Trailblazers 4-14, 1-4 (MASCAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

MCLA would begin the contest with a 3-0 lead over Elms, but the Blazers would come back to gain the lead with the help of a three-point play from graduate student Julianne Liebow (assisted by graduate student Brianna Metellus (Springfield, MA)) and a three-point shot from first-year Jade Lewis (Orlando, FL) (assisted by senior Rahmia Johnston (Trumbull, CT)). The Trailblazers would regain the lead, but sophomore Talia Uribe (South Hadley, MA) would make a layup (assisted by Liebow) to tie the game at 8-8. The two teams would contest for possession, until another three-point shot was made by Lewis (assisted by Johnston). The Blazers would wrap up the quarter with three layups from junior Soliyana Asfaw (West Orange, NJ), sophomore Jenny Gorski (Vernon, CT) and Johnston.

The second quarter started with a layup from Gorski after she earned an offensive rebound to increase the lead to 19-8. Elms and MCLA would continue to trade possession of the ball, until Johnston found Lewis open to make another three-point shot for the Blazers. The Trailblazers would respond with a pair of layups of their own, but Uribe would pass the ball to Metellus for a three-pointer of her own. As the opening half neared the end, Elms would hold their lead 33-23.

The Trailblazers would start the second half off with a three-point shot, but Uribe would make a pair of layups to extend the lead. Later in the third quarter, Johnston would connect with Liebow for a second three-point shot. For the remainder of the quarter, MCLA would cut the lead to seven points, but Metellus would sink another three-point shot off a pass from Liebow with under a minute to play, and seconds later, Metellus would find Liebow open to make another three-pointer. 

The final quarter would start with a layup and a jump shot from the Trailblazers, but the Blazers would make four free point shots and Metellus and Lewis would each make three-point shots off of passes from each other. The match up would conclude with a layup and free throw from Uribe, followed by a three-point shot by MCLA before the final buzzer with a 60-46 victory for Elms College.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Uribe would lead her team scoring 18 points, five steals, and five offensive rebounds.

• Johnston would lead the Blazers with ten total rebounds.

• Johnston and Metellus would each have a team leading four assists.

UP NEXT: The Women's Basketball team returns to action at home on Saturday, January 20th hosting St. Joseph's College in Picknelly Arena at 1:00 pm.

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