CAMBRIDGE, MA – Mitchell College's Kaylee Cerruto (Torrington, CT/Torrington) connected on four straight three-pointers to open the game, providing an early cushion for the Mariners in their 72-50 victory over Lesley University in New England Collegiate Conference women's basketball play Tuesday night at the Nicholas Athletics Center.
Emily Fleming (Medford, MA/Matignon) gave Lesley a pair of two-point leads in the opening minutes with a trey and two free throws, but Cerruto's fourth triple and second in 28 seconds sent the Mariners out to a 19-12 lead at the 12:42 mark of the first.
Lynx guard Sarah Apgar (Andover, NJ/Lenape) answered with a jumper moments later, but Mitchell senior Bianca Young (Bridgeport, CT/Kolbe Cathedral) converted two layups in an 8-0 run that opened up a 27-14 lead. Lesley dipped inside single digits again but briefly, as a 10-2 Mariners run to close the half gave the visitors a 43-27 halftime lead.
Freshman Sheanna James (Waterbury, CT/Kaynor Tech) scored five of the 10 points in Mitchell's late first half run and carried her momentum over to the second, when the 5-7 swing guard scored 14 of her game-high 22 points. Her team came out of halftime on an 8-0 run, which included a pair of James layups, and never looked back in its 72-50 road victory.
Cerruto scored all of her 12 in the first 7:18 for the Mariners, and Young added a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Fleming followed James in the scoring column, avenging a five-point effort when the teams met on January 17 with a team-high 21 for the Lynx on 12-14 shooting at the line. Lesley freshman Carrie Fieger connected on 2-3 shooting from three-point range for six points to go along with a career-high eight blocks and two steals, and Apgar added 10 points and five boards for the Lynx.
All seven Lesley players who saw action scored, including Anthea Rathjens (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury), who converted a late second half layup for her first points as a Lynx, grabbing six rebounds in 19 minutes.
Lesley (0-20, 0-14 NECC) plays host to Daniel Webster on Thursday, when Mitchell (6-14, 5-9 NECC) travels to Elms.
