Women's Basketball Falls to MCLA in Conference Opener
Framingham, MA - The Framingham State College women's basketball team came back from 18 points down in the second half to pull within one with 2:08 remaining in the game before MCLA junior forward Taylor Kenyon (N. Bennington, VT) hit three of four free throws down the stretch to lift MCLA to the 51-47 road win. The game was the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) opener for both schools and with the win the Trailblazers improve to 8-4 on the season and 1-0 in conference, while the Rams two game winning streak is snapped and they fall to 3-6 on the season and 0-1 in conference.
The Trailblazers opened the second half on a 13-2 run to extend their lead to 18 with 14:26 remaining in the game. MCLA would maintain their double digit advantage until the Rams Jill Johnson (Mansfield, MA) sank a huge trifecta to cut the deficit to nine at 48-39 with 4:18 remaining.
Johnson's three sparked an 8-3 run by the Rams. Senior guard Jenna Haselhurst (Attleboro, MA) stole the ball in the back court and converted a 10 foot jumper with 3:48 remaining to cut the lead to seven at 48-41. After two missed free throws by MCLA, the Rams Taryn DiFilippo (Revere, MA) converted one of two free throws and a jumper in the lane with 2:33 remaining to pull the Rams within four. After two more missed free throws by MCLA, Haselhurst found junior Allie Hart (Somerset, MA) alone in the corner and Hart drained a three to cut the lead to one at 48-47 with 2:08 remaining.
That was as close as the Rams would get as Kenyon, who finished the night with seven points and 12 boards, sank two free throws to push the lead back to three and then was fouled again, after the Rams missed two free throws, and sank one of two to push the lead to four.
Sophomore Ali Leveille (Southampton, MA) led the Trailblazers with 13 points and four steals, while sophomore center Laura Silverman (Clifton Park, NY) added nine points and 11 rebounds. The Rams were led by Hart, who had nine points including 3 of 5 from behind the arc, and senior Christina Bordini (Chelmsford, MA), who finished with nine points and 10 rebounds.
The Framingham State Rams return to action on Thursday January 17th as they host the University of New England at 6 p.m., while the MCLA Trailblazers host Bridgewater State on Monday at 2 p.m.