CAMBRIDGE, MA – Lesley University fell to Elms College, 72-29, in New England Collegiate Conference women's basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Nicholas Athletics Center.
A scorching start sent the visitors home happy, as the Blazers (5-2, 1-1 NECC) commenced a 13-0 run off the opening tip. Denisha Parks (Fall River, MA/Durfee) scored six of her game-high 20 points consecutively to close out the run, and guard Jen Normandie (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) added four of her 17 in the 13-0 streak, in which senior forward Erika Murphy (Torrington, CT/Torrington) added the other three points.
Murphy pulled down a game-high 17 rebounds to go along with eight points and two steals on the afternoon as Elms outrebounded the Lynx 70-42.
For Lesley (0-6, 0-2 NECC), guard Emily Fleming (Medford, MA/Matignon) led the way with the game's only double-double, the second of her sophomore season, totaling 12 points and 13 rebounds. Fleming added game-highs of four assists and four steals, but the Blazers defense held the Lynx to only 18 percent shooting.
Elms used a late first half 8-0 run to take a 29-6 lead before a Carrie Fieger (Simsbury, CT/Suffield) three-pointer with 1:12 remaining in the period made it a 29-9 game at halftime. The Blazers opened the second half even hotter than they came out in the first, with Normandie scoring six points in a 15-0 run that put the game away for good.
In spite of Elms sharp shooting early in the half, Lesley held the Blazers without a field goal for over 4:00 late in the frame, until a Jennifer Belanger (Chicopee, MA/Chicopee) basket with 10 second left made it a 72-29 final.
Lesley's Sarah Apgar (Andover, NJ/Lenape) tallied eight points, five rebounds and two steals in the loss. Chelsea Contre (Pomfret, CT/Woodstock), who entered the game sixth in the NECC in rebounding, hauled down her season average of eight boards before fouling out in 34 minutes.
Sophomore guard Sherrey Smith (Belmont, NH/Belmont), who pulled down a career-best four boards the Lynx last time out against Newbury, collected a new career high of seven, coming off the bench for 28 minutes, also her most ever.
Lesley takes the remainder of 2011 off before, returning to the hardwood on January 4, playing host to Simmons. Elms travels to Westfield State on December 17.
