Fitchburg State Sneaks Past Women’s Basketball 75-74

Fitchburg, Mass. – The Framingham State University women's basketball team rallied from a late second half deficit, but were unable to close the game as the Fitchburg State University Falcons defeated the Rams 75-74 in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) match up at Fitchburg's Recreation Center.

With the victory, Fitchburg State improves to 6-5 overall and 2-0 in the MASCAC, while Framingham State falls to 6-7 on the season and 0-2 in the conference.

Senior Amy Fahey (Wilmington, Mass.) led the Fitchburg State offense with a team-best 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals. Junior Laura Cote (Ashby, Mass.) followed closely with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field, while junior Britney Payne (Franklin, Ky.) and senior Kristen Enright (Westminster, Mass.) both added eight points apiece.

For the Rams, senior Kristen Hoffman (Foxboro, Mass.) was stellar offensively, posting a game-high 24 points with a 5-of-8 performance from beyond the arc. Junior Margo McCarthy (Southampton, Mass.) was also solid with 14 points and seven caroms, while freshman Alycia Rackliffe (Feeding Hills, Mass.) chipped in with 12 points.

In the first half, Framingham State entered the locker room with a one point advantage (36-35), using a 14 point effort from Hoffman. The Falcons crawled back from a nine point deficit late in the half (36-27), stringing together eight consecutive points to close the half. Payne led the Falcon rally with a pair of steals and five points (six in the half), while Fahey led all Falcon scorers with 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting.

In the second half, Fitchburg State swung the momentum in its favor, opening a seven point advantage (53-46) by the 13:39 mark. The Falcons continued to soar, posting an 11 point margin (67-56) with a Fahey lay-up at the 6:22 mark, but the Rams battled back with a 12-2 run to close within one at 69-68.

Down the stretch, both team traded baskets with Rackliffe and Enright scoring hoops for each squad, but Framingham State knotted the score moments later, 71-71, with a free-throw by Hoffman. On their next possession, the Falcons grabbed a two point advantage as junior Rebecca Fluet (Fitchburg, Mass.) sank a pair of free-throw and moments later Tori Cyrus (Everett, Mass.) sealed the contest with another set of free-throws.

Junior Katelyn Iafolla (Franklin, Mass.) hit a last second three for the Rams to close within one (75-74), but that's as close as the visitor would come as the Rams were forced to foul with less than two seconds remaining.

For the game, Framingham State held a slim margin on the glass (38-36), while the Falcons caused 24 Ram turnovers with 13 steals. Fitchburg State finished 26-of-58 from the field and 20-of-28 from the charity stripe, while the Rams shot 27-of-57 from the floor but were just 12-of-25 from the free-throw line.

Fitchburg State will be back in action on Tuesday as they travel to MCLA at 5:30 p.m. Framingham State will host Bridgewater State on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Release courtesy of Fitchburg St. Sports Information.