Chester Leads Women’s Basketball Past MCLA, 63-44

Framingham, Mass. - Senior forward Toya Chester (Leominster, Mass.) scored a game-high 20 points to propel the Framingham State College women's basketball team to a 63-44 win over the MCLA Trailblazers in Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action tonight in Framingham.  With the win, the Rams improve to 1-4 in conference and 6-8 overall, while the Trailblazers fall to 11-4 overall and 1-3 in the MASCAC.

Chester, who was 9-of-10 from the line in the game, picked up her fourth double double of the season as she hauled in 10 boards to go along with her 20 points.  Freshman forward Kia Minor (Oak Bluffs, Mass.) also finished with a double double, her fifth of the season, with 13 points and a game-high 11 boards.  Classmate Michelle Hagerty (Somerville, Mass.) had her best all around game of the season for the Rams with eight points and a game and career-high 11 boards.

In a back and forth first half that saw six ties and eight lead changes, the Rams used a 6-0 run in the final 1:56 of the first half to take the lead for good, as they headed into the break up 34-28. Chester led the Rams with 10 first half points on 5-of-10 shooting from the floor, while freshman Lucy Tremblay (East Greenbush, NY) led the Trailblazers with 10 first half points and four assists.

The Rams maintained their lead throughout the second half and extended it to as many as 19 points late in the game to pick up their first conference win. Framingham State held a decided advantage in free throws as they shot 71.9% from the line (23-32) in the game, while the Trailblazers struggled from the line shooting only 47.8% (11-23) from the charity stripe in the game.

Tremblay finished the game with 11 points for the Trailblazers, while junior Molly Broda (Southampton, Mass.) picked up a team-high 13 points including 3-of-8 from behind the arc.  Sophomore Jen Wehner (Cooperstown, NY) added nine points and nine boards.

The Rams return to action on Saturday as they host Westfield State at 1 p.m., while the Trailblazers travel to Fitchburg State on Saturday at 1 p.m.