CHICOPEE, Mass. – The Lesley University women's basketball team dropped the season series to Elms College, falling to the Blazers 75-47 in New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) action, Wednesday night. First year guard Linda Wallentine (Monroe Township, N.J.) came one point shy of tying her career single-game high, netting a game-high 20 points on the Blazers in the loss.
Elms initiated the contest with a tally off the hands of junior Mackenzie LaRochelle (Chicopee, Mass.) followed by a LaRochelle score from the charity stripe. From there the Lynx fought back with a Wallentine basket and a pair of junior Theresa Periera (Hopedale, Mass.) scores at the line to keep Lesley within one. However the Blazers pushed forward outscoring Lesley 14-10 in the quarter to head into the second owning the advantage.
The second saw back to back scores off the hands of both squads with senior Emily Burr (East Hartford, Conn.) heading the scoring efforts with a jumper at 9:41. From there Elms continued to forward momentum as freshman Samantha Lynes (Berlin, Conn.) posted the first three point blast of the evening to create a 21-16 scoreboard. Senior Alexandra Marques (Newington, Conn.) headed all scorers in the second with eight points as she went 4-for-4 from the floor. Freshman Dakota Jones (Torrance, Calif.) kept hope alive for the Lynx totaling a team high six points as she went 3-for-3 in the quarter. Despite Lesley efforts the Blazers would head to the locker room owning a 34-26 advantage.
Elms continued to push their advantage in the third outscoring Lesley 23-13 within the period headed by Marques and LaRochelle's six points apiece. Wallentine led the Lynx with eight tallies as she initiated the scoring for Lesley at the 9:11 marker. Starting at 5:49 the Blazers embarked on an 11-2 run headed by six LaRochelle tallies that sealed their lead heading into the second owning an ultimate 57-39 score.
The Blazers continued to prove their dominance as they outscored the Lynx 18-8 during the final quarter of action. Freshman Molly Mouton (North Adams, Mass.) led Elms with six scores as she went 2-for-2 from the field and 2-for-2 at the charity stripe. Wallentine once again led all scores as she went 3-for-6 from the field for Lesley in an attempt to put the Lynx back on track however Elms would nurse their lead to the final buzzer ending the contest with a 75-47 advantage.
Jones recorded her 12th double-double of the season finishing the night with 12 points and a game-high 15 rebounds while also dishing out three assists on the evening.
Lesley will take on Mitchell College January 12th for a 1:00 p.m. tip-off while Elms will look to remain in the win column as they play host to Regis (Mass.) Saturday January 11th for a 1p.m. start time.
- Game story provided by Kaleigh Anderson, Elms College Assistant Sports Information Director