Donahue Sets FSU Career Assist Mark as Women’s Basketball Defeats MCLA 87-77 in Overtime
Framingham, Mass. – Senior guard Lauren Donahue (Attleboro, Mass.) established a new FSU career assist mark with her first assist of the game as the Framingham State University women's basketball team opened overtime with a 10-2 run to defeat MCLA 87-77 this evening in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action at the Athletic Center.
With the win, the Rams improve to 11-7 on the year and are now 5-1 in the league, while the Trailblazers fall to 6-12 on the season and are now 2-4 in the MASCAC.
Donahue entered the game with 423 career assists tied with Lisa Halloran who played for the Rams from 1985-89. She recorded her record setting 424th assist of her career on a pass to sophomore Emily Velozo (Tewksbury, Mass.), who converted a layup just under a minute into the contest. Donahue finished the game with seven assists and now has 430 for her career. She also recorded 13 points in the game with four rebounds and a steal.
Senior guard Raegan Mulherin (Baldwinville, Mass.) led all scorers with a game-high 26 points to go along with five rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Sophomore Mary Kate O'Day (Berlin, Mass.) recorded a double double with 17 points and 13 rebounds to go along with six assists and a steal. Velozo finished the game with double figures scoring 13 and adding four rebounds and two assists, while junior Tiphani Harris (Revere, Mass.) recorded a double double of her own with 11 points and 10 boards.
The Trailblazers, who also had five players record double figures, were led by a team-high 15 points from junior Courtney Pingelski (Mechanicville, NY). Pingelski just missed a double double as she recorded nine boards. Senior Emily Moulton (North Adams, Mass.) chipped in with a double double for the Trailblazers with 14 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Junior L'Rae Brundige (Valley Falls, NY) added 12 points, while Mckenzie Robinson (Adams, Mass.) and Samantha Gawron (South Hadley, Mass.) added 11 apiece.
The Rams who led by as many as ten points in the fourth quarter, led 67-64 after a pair of O'Day free throws with 1:21 remaining in the game. MCLA cut the lead to one, 67-66, on a Pingelski layup with 1:10 on the clock. A Mulherin layup pushed the lead back to three for the Rams. MCLA took a timeout and advanced the ball setting up a deep three on the right wing from Gawron tying the game 69-69 with 39 second remaining. The Rams came out of a timeout and had a clean look, but the shot did not fall giving the Trailblazers a chance. Pingelski took a three from the top of the key, but Mulherin came up with a huge block and time expired forcing overtime.
The two teams traded points to open up overtime before the Rams rattled off eight straight points including threes from Mulherin and Velozo to take a 79-71 lead midway through the extra session. MCLA cut the lead to five with just over a minute on the clock, but the Rams went six-for-six from the line including four from Donahue to ice the victory.
The Rams are back in action on Saturday afternoon when they host Fitchburg State for a MASCAC game beginning at 1 p.m., while the Trailblazers travel to Westfield State on Saturday for a MASCAC contest at 1 p.m.