Women's Basketball Lose to Wellesley in Home Return

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Basketball hosted Wellesley College in a non-conference matchup Tuesday evening at Picknelly Arena.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 34 | Wellesley College 54
Records: Blazers 2-5, 0-0 (GNAC) | Blue 3-4, 0-0 (NEWMAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The contest would begin with both sides struggling to score, but the Elms defense would hold strong, seeing steals by junior forward/center Talia Uribe (South Hadley, Mass.), sophomore guard Jade Lewis (Orlando, Fla.), and graduate guard Rahmia Johnston (Newtown, Conn.), but Wellesley would be the first to score, earning an early 6-0 lead. Junior forward Jenny Gorksi (Vernon, Conn.) would be the first to score for the Blazers, making both free throw attempts, followed by a pair of steals by Johnston and first-year forward/center Mary Turco (Winthrop, Mass.). The Blue would extend their lead after a three-point shot, but a pair of free throw attempts and a steal by Lewis, along with another steal by Uribe would keep Elms on their end of the floor. Unfortunately, Wellesley would hold their lead at the end of the opening quarter, 15-4. The second quarter would begin similarly as the first, with both sides not finding the basket, but that would change after a layup by Turco and a pair of three-pointers from Lewis and Johnston cut their opponent's lead down to 17-12. As the game clock wound down towards halftime, the Blazers would see a free throw by Johnston and a layup and a three-point shot from Lewis, but the Blue would hold their lead to 24-18 heading into the halftime break over Elms.

The third quarter would once again see both sides unable to find the basket, due to strong defensive efforts, until Lewis would connect with Gorski for a layup for the first basket of the half. The two sides would continue to have strong defensive efforts, including steals by Gorski and first-year guard Autumn Koch (Goldsboro, Penn.), but Wellesley would hold their 39-21 lead at the end of the third quarter. The Blue would gain momentum early in the fourth quarter, scoring four points in the opening three minutes, until steals by Turco and Uribe led to layups by Lewis and Turco, along with a jump shot by senior Danajah Stokes (Savannah, Ga.), additional steals by junior guard Kelly LeBel (Tolland, Conn.), Turco, Gorksi, and Johnston. But as the final minutes ticked off the board, Wellesley would defeat Elms 54-34.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Lewis - 13 points, six rebounds, three steals, and two assists.

• Turco - nine points, eight rebounds, and three steals.

• Johnston - six points, four steals, three rebounds, and an assist.

• Gorski - five rebounds, four points, three steals, and an assist.

• Stokes - two points.

UP NEXT: The Elms College Women's Basketball team will host Vermont State University-Lyndon in a non-conference matchup on Thursday, December 5th at 6:30 pm at Picknelly Arena.

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