CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Lesley University senior Ari Dimou (Manchester, N.H.) poured in a season-high 20 points but it was not enough to slow Southern Vermont College as the Mountaineers pulled away with a 73-53 win over the Lynx in New England Collegiate Conference action tonight at the Nicholas Athletics Center.

Dimou added five rebounds, one block, and an assist to her line while shooting 7-of-13 from the floor to lead the Lynx while Anthea Rathjens (Sudbury, Mass.) finished in with double-digit rebounds for the fourth time this season with a team-best 13 to go with five points. Theresa Pereira (Hopedale, Mass.) added 12 points and eight boards for the hosts and Lilly Donovan (Newburyport, Mass.) finished with a career-high ten points and six caroms.

SVC senior Amber Flagg (Windsor, Conn.) filled the stat sheet for the Mountaineers with 18 points, seven rebounds, six steals, and four assists while Shaniquewa Barnes (Landover, Md.) added nine points and led all players with 14 rebounds, seven on both the offensive and defensive glass. Turquoia Johnson (Rockville, Md.) came off the bench to record a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

The Lynx started quickly out of the gate and used a 7-0 first quarter run to take their biggest lead of the game at 17-10. Rathjens ignited the run with a pair of made free throws before Dimou would tally the final four points of the spurt.

The Mountaineers would trim the deficit to two before the end of the quarter, 17-15, as Flagg knocked down a pair at the line and Danielle Simmons (Rensselaer, N.Y.) drained a triple at the buzzer.

SVC opened the second quarter with a 7-0 run of their own capped by a Flagg fast-break score and the guests would not trail again. The Mountaineers would lead by as many as 24-points as they rolled to their third straight victory, 73-53.

The Mountaineers, who improve to 5-2 on the year and a perfect 3-0 in NECC play, held a 63-53 edge in rebounding and turned 27 Lynx turnovers into 29 points while their bench outscored the hosts' reserves 28-5.  

Lesley will face a quick turn-around as they are back in play tomorrow when they host the University of Maine-Presque Isle at 3:00p. SVC will return home on Tuesday and host New England College at 7:00p.