WESTFIELD, Mass. - Top-seeded Westfield State University women's basketball got 18 points each from freshman Melissa Gray (Peabody, Mass) and junior Lucy Barrett (Williamstown, Mass) to defeat fourth seeded Worcester State University, 105-80, in Thursday night's Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) semifinal game.
THE BASICS
February 22, 2018
Woodward Athletic Center
Score: Westfield State 105, Worcester State 80
Records: Westfield State (18-7) | Worcester State (13-14)
1ST QUARTER
The Owls ran out to an early 10-2 lead led by Chelsea Moussette's (Southampton, Mass) early eight points. Kate Surprenant (Pelham, N.H.) made two layups for the Lancers to cut Westfield State's lead to four. Leading 12-8 late in the first quarter the Owls went on an 11-0 run forcing five Worcester turnovers in that stretch, which was capped by yet another three-pointer from Moussette to lead 27-17 going into the second frame.
2ND QUARTER
Westfield State outscored the Lancers 28-20 in the second quarter. Barrett began the second with a triple. Worcester State would respond with buckets from Emily Carens (Northborough, Mass.) and Colleen Cutting (Auburn, Mass.), but Gray would come back with a trey. The Owls headed into the intermission ahead 55-37.
3RD QUARTER
Worcester State opened the third quarter with a Kaitlyn Berkel (Waterford, Conn.) jumper which sparked a 6-3 run for the Lancers. However, Barrett started a 7-1 run with a layup, and the Owls had a 21-point lead with 6:13 to go in the third. Worcester State came back with six straight points until Kierra McCarthy (Ludlow, Mass.) put up a three. Gray and Barret would also drain triples in the third, and the Owls took an 80-65 lead going into the final frame.
4TH QUARTER
The Owls sparked an 8-0 run to start the fourth, including triples from Barrett and Rebecca Sapouckey (Chicopee, Mass.) and ran away with the lead for the semifinal win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Westfield shot lights-out from downtown all night as the Owls shot 61.9% (13-21) from behind the arc, to go along with overall field-goal percentage of 54.1% on the game.
- Worcester State shot 45.5% (30-66) from the field, and just 25% (2-8) from 3-point range.
- Moussette added 17 points and eight assists.
- Sapouckey added 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and McCarthy added 13 points to round out five Owl scorers in double figures.
- For Worcester, Carens led with a career-high 21 points and five rebounds off the bench, while Berkel scored 17 points and 14 rebounds.
- Surprenant added 16 points and five assists to lead the effort for the Lancers.
UP NEXT
With the win, Westfield heads back to the MASCAC championship game for the fourth straight year, and the Owls will be looking to win their third straight conference title. Westfield State University will host the MASCAC championship game Saturday against second-seeded Framingham State University, at the Woodward Center. Worcester State concludes the 2017-18 season at 13-14.
Portions of this Release Courtesy of Westfield State Sports Information