NASHUA, N.H. – Despite using a 22-4 third quarter run to erase a 15-point halftime deficit, Lesley University's comeback effort fell short in the fourth as Daniel Webster College rallied to top the Lynx 59-46 in the New England Collegiate Conference opener for both schools at the Mario Vagge Gymnasium.
The win is the first of the season for the Eagles as they improve to 1-4 overall and 1-0 in the NECC while the Lynx slip to 0-5 on the season and 0-1 in the conference.
Eagles senior Ashley England (Old Town, Maine) netted a game-high 21 points and added four assists and two steals for the hosts while Amanda Dargie (Melbourne, Fla.) added 12 points, six assists, three blocks and seven steals. Desiree McGee (Spring Hill, Fla.) posted 10 points and six boards while Unique Battle (Brooklyn, N.Y.) pulled down seven boards to lead DWC.
Theresa Pereira (Hopedale, Mass.) led Lesley with 13 points and Ari Dimou (Manchester, N.H.) added 12 to go with four assists, five boards and a pair of steals. Hannah Levensailor (Ayer, Mass.) chipped in with seven points and game-best 10 caroms. Seniors Hayley Wirth (Escondido, Calif.) and Anthea Rathjens (Sudbury, Mass.) each finished with five points and six rebounds.
It was a tale of two quarters in the third and fourth. DWC, which had led 35-20 at the break, melted down and managed just four points in the third period, finishing a paltry 2 of 11 from the field. The cold spell allowed Lesley to climb back in, whittling the deficit to two on a Pereira layup, and taking their first lead on a Dimou trey with 2:22 to go in the period for a 39-37 lead.
A Pereira pair at the line and an Emily Meade (Derry, N.H.) jumper with 10 seconds to go pushed the Lynx lead to three (42-39) at the quarter's end, but just as DWC was stone cold in the third, Lesley equaled the chill in the fourth.
The Lynx misfired on their first seven shots and turned the ball over four times. DWC meanwhile missed on its first four, but an England three tied it at 42, sparking a key 9-1 run that included back-to-back layups from McGee to rebuild an eight-point advantage (51-43) with 5:16 to play.
A Levensailor jumper finally ended the cold snap for Lesley but the Lynx again misfired on their next four to finish 1 for 12 in the period. A McKenzie Stone (Shelton, Conn.) jumper and England Layup pushed the lead back to 10 (55-45) with 2:38 to play.
DWC helped its own cause outscoring Lesley 28-14 in the paint for the night, helping negate the Lynx' 51-45 advantage in rebounding. DWC also turned 35 Lesley turnovers into 28 important points.
The Eagles close a six-game season-opening home stand hosting Elms in a NECC contest on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The Lynx will also return to NECC play on Thursday when they travel to Newbury at 6:00p.
Release courtesy DWC Sports Information