CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Lesley University women's basketball team opened their New England Collegiate Conference slate with a win, topping visiting Daniel Webster College 79-71 tonight at the Nicholas Athletics Center. The Lynx saw four players reach double-figures including a game-high – and career-high – 20 from freshman Kylie Lounder (Belchertown, Mass.) who notched a double-double by pulling down 13 off the glass. Lounder also dished out a game-high seven assists and swiped a trio of steals.
Lesley nets their first win of the season as they improve to 1-3 overall and 1-0 in NECC play while the Eagles drop their sixth straight to start the year.
Fellow first year Dakota Jones (Torrance, Calif.) followed Lounder with her fourth straight double-double effort, dropping 15 points to go with 11 boards. Sophomore Abby Henderson (Rochester, N.H.) was excellent down low for the hosts, netting a career-best 15 points while junior Theresa Pereira (Hopedale, Mass.) filled her line with 12 points, six rebounds, five assists, and a pair of steals.
Senior Kayla Free (Quincy, Mass.) paced the Eagles with a double-double of her own as she posted 17 points and 11 rebounds while junior Amanda Gendron (Mont Vernon, N.H.) knocked down three triples on her way to 15 points in reserve duty. Classmate Escarlin Reynoso (Lawrence, Mass.) added ten for the guests and senior Briana Diggs (Washington, D.C.) fell one point shy of a double-double with nine points and ten caroms.
After trailing by one after the first two quarters, the Lynx came out hot in the third and hit four of their first seven shots in the quarter to stake a 40-36 lead. The Eagles would quickly answer back with six straight – with four of the six coming from a pair of Kayla Free layups – to jump back ahead 42-40.
A Lounder layup with just under five minutes to go in the quarter would spark a 10-0 spurt for the hosts to reclaim a 50-42 advantage and they would never trail in the game again.
The Eagles would not go away, however, and another Free layup brought DWC to within one, 62-61, with just over four minutes left to go in the game. Once again the Lynx would have an answer as Henderson provided four straight points to open a 12-0 run to build some separation before holding on for the 79-71 victory.
Lesley dominated the painted area as they held a 57-44 edge in total rebounds and a 44-30 edge in points in the paint. The Lynx also held a 14-4 edge in fastbreak points while the Eagles reserves outscored their counterparts bench by a 31-12 margin.
Both sides will be back in NECC action on Thursday. The Lynx will return to their home floor and host Newbury College at 8:00p while the Eagles will conclude their season-opening seven game road trip and travel to Elms College at 7:00p.