Women’s Basketball’s Win Streak Snapped at Westfield State
Westfield, Mass. –Three Framingham State Rams finished with double-doubles but it was not enough as the Westfield State Owls defeated the Rams by a score of 95-88 victory Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action Wednesday evening at the Woodward Center.
The Owls improve to 9-6 overall and 3-0 in the MASCAC. The Rams snap their five game winning streak and are now 9-7 on the season and 3-1 in conference play.
Westfield State jumped to a 15-2 lead following two made free throws by Chelsea Moussette (Southampton, Mass.), but the Rams responded with a 12-0 run to cut the deficit to one with 3:43 left in the first quarter. The rest of the quarter went back-and-forth with Framingham State claiming a 23-21 lead after the first 10 minutes of action.
The Rams held their lead in the beginning of the second quarter, leading by as many as six at 7:13. The Owls responded with a 7-2 run capped by a three-pointer from Moussette at 4:14 to cut Framingham's lead to one.
Owls junior Lucy Barrett (Williamstown, Mass.) hit one from downtown with: 43 seconds left in the first half to tie the game 39-39. A layup from senior guard Alyssa Darling (Palmer, Mass.) put the Owls back on top 41-39 to end the half.
The third quarter featured some more back-and-forth action. With just :02 seconds remaining, Barrett hit a quick layup as the Owls held a 69-65 lead.
Westfield wouldn't back down in the fourth quarter, leading by as many as 10 at 7:11. With just three minutes left in regulation, Framingham cut the deficit to three after two made free-throws by sophomore guard Emily Velozo (Tewksbury, Mass.).
Westfield would make its free throws down the stretch to put the game away.
Barrett led the Owls with 24 points and added four rebounds. She was joined in double figures by freshman forward Melissa Gray (Peabody, Mass.) with 19 and junior Kierra McCarthy (Ludlow, Mass.) with 12 points and three rebounds. Moussette recorded a double-double with 13 points, 10 assists and grabbed three rebounds.
Junior Tiphani Harris (Revere, Mass.) led the Rams with a career-best 24 points and 12 rebounds. Seniors Raegan Mulherin (Baldwinville, Mass) and Velozo each dropped 19 points while Mulherin also grabbed 11 rebounds. Sophomore Mary Kate O'Day (Berlin, Mass.) contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Westfield State will travel to Salem State on Saturday, January 20th for a MASCAC game at 1:00 p.m.
Framingham State will travel to Bridgewater State on Saturday, January 20th day for a conference match at 1:00 p.m.
*Portions of release courtesy of Westfield sports information