Women's Hoops Lose a Tough Conference Battle to St. Joe's, Maine

STANDISH, Maine - The Elms College Women's Basketball traveled to Saint Joseph's College of Maine for a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) matchup Saturday afternoon.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 55 | Saint Joseph's College of Maine 83
Records: Blazers 6-11, 3-3 (GNAC) | Monks 10-6, 4-3 (GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Saint Joseph's would be the first to score and would earn an early 4-0 lead. Even with the early deficit, the Elms defense would hold strong, including a steal from graduate student guard Rahmia Johnston (Newtown, Conn.). The Monks would score once more, but the Blazers would make back-to-back layups from first year forward/center Mary Turco (Winthrop, Mass.) and sophomore guard Jade Lewis (Orlando, Fla.), assisted by junior guard Piper Graham (Lancaster, Penn.), to bring the score to 6-4. SJC would then answer with three baskets to add seven points to their lead. The two conference opponents would trade possession, where neither side would successfully find the basket, until Johnston would make a layup, but the Monks would continue to add to their lead. Before the end of the first quarter, Elms would see one more basket from Turco, but Saint Joseph's would hold on to their lead 24-8. The Monks would start the second quarter by scoring the first basket, followed by junior forward/center Talia Uribe (South Hadley, Mass.) finding an open first year guard Gabby Wasiewicz (Worcester, Mass.) for a layup, but SJC would once again continue to add to their lead. As the minutes ticked off the board, the Monks offense would hold strong, but the Blazers would see a jump shot by junior forward Jenny Gorski (Vernon, Conn.), assisted by Turco, a successful free throw from Lewis, back-to-back steals by Wasiewicz that would lead to a three-point shot by junior guard Kelly LeBel (Tolland, Conn.) and a layup from Johnston, followed by a steal from Johnston. In the finals minutes of the opening half, LeBel would make a free throw shot and Johnston would complete a three-point play and a steal, but Saint Joseph's would maintain their lead, 47-22, going into the halftime break.

The third quarter would begin with both sides unable to find a basket, Johnston would add a steal, and the Monks would be the first to score, but Turco would connect a pass to Johnston for a three-point shot. As SJC would continue to add upon their lead, but the Blazers would see a three-pointer and five successful free throws by Lewis, assisted by Turco, a steal and a layup from LeBel, and a layup by Gorski, but the Monks would continue to hold on to their 71-37 to wrap up the third quarter. The fourth quarter would kick off with a jump shot by Gorksi, assisted by Graham, followed by steals from Graham and Wasiewicz. Saint Joseph's would continue to add their lead, but the Elms offense would not be stopped entirely, seeing a three-point shot and two steals by Graham, two three-point plays from Johnston, a free throw by Turco, two layups by first year forward Stephanie Mildner (Sterling, Penn.), and a jump shot from first year forward Heaven Smith (West Hartford, Conn.), but the Monks would defeat the Blazers 83-55.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Johnston - 16 points, four rebounds, four steals, and two assists.

• Lewis - 11 points, four rebounds, and two assists.

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

• LeBel - six points, two rebounds, and a steal.

• Turco - seven rebounds, five points, and three assists.

• Mildner - four points and a rebound.

• Graham - three points, three steals, two assists, and a rebound.

• Wasiewicz -  three steals, two points, and a rebound.

• Smith - two points.

UP NEXT: The Elms College Women's Basketball team will travel to New Haven, Conn. to face Albertus Magnus College in a conference matchup on Wednesday, January 25th at 5:30 pm.

--

For continuing coverage of Elms College Athletics, visit www.ecblazers.com and follow the Blazers on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.