South Hadley, MA --- Senior Kaleigh Charette (Fairhaven, MA) recorded 17 points and eight rebounds to lead the Worcester State to a 72-49 victory over Mount Holyoke in non-conference women's basketball this evening at the Mildred S. Howard Gymnasium.
The Lancers (4-4) sealed their third win in a row with a 17-4 run in the early stages on the second half.
Mount Holyoke (1-8) was paced by first-year Amber Legare (Chicopee, MA), who posted a career-best 14 points to go with seven rebounds, three blocked shots and a pair of steals. Junior Angelica Pascual (Lawrence, MA) knocked down two shots from beyond the arc en route to 10 points, while sophomore Annabel Barrett (Williamstown, MA) added nine points. Senior forward Tricia Chase (Feeding Hills, MA) pulled down eight boards, and junior guard Jasmine Brown (Enfield, CT) dished out five assists.
Junior Kara Rogers (Lowell, MA) drained four three-pointers on her way to 16 points, while sophomore Meaghan Burns (West Brookfield, MA) chipped in with 12 points and seven boards. Freshman Cheyenne Jennings (Worcester, MA/Wachusett) dished out six Lancer assists and third-year Meaghan O'Keefe (Warren, MA) added eight caroms.
The guests used a 12-0 run to gain a 19-7 edge midway through the first half. They enjoyed a 29-16 advantage following a pair of free throws by Rogers at the 5:35 mark, but Mount Holyoke clawed its way back into the contest with some full court pressure. The Lyons closed out the half on a 9-2 run to slice the deficit to 31-25. Pascual capped off the rally with a layup and a three-pointer from the corner. She scored eight of her 10 points before the break.
Mount Holyoke continued to roll in the opening minute of the second stanza thanks to back-to-back layups by Legare. Her second cut the lead to 31-29 at the 19:09 mark.
From there, it was all Worcester State. The Lancers rattled off nine straight points and led by as many as 27 on two occasions down the stretch. Rogers sparked their big second half with three treys and 11 points.
Worcester State knocked down 46 percent (22-for-48) of its shots from the field and 92 percent (23-for-25) of its free throw attempts. WSU piled up 16 assists on 22 made baskets and finished with a 43-34 edge on the glass.
The Lyons shot 32 percent (22-for-69) from the floor.
Mount Holyoke will return to action on Monday, January 2 at Simmons. The non-conference contest is slated to get underway at 7:00 PM
Meanwhile, Worcester State will take part in the Hoop 'N Surf Tournament in Honolulu, Hawaii next week. After facing off against Spalding University on Sunday at 6:00 PM, the Lancers will meet up with George Fox University on Tuesday at 9:00.
Full Release Courtesy of Mount Holyoke Sports Information