Newton, Mass.- The Lasers trailed to the Mount Ida Mustangs for the first thirty eight minutes of the GNAC contest before coming back to win, 64-60, in the final minutes of the game. Shauna Kelly (Quincy, Mass.) led all scorers with 19 points, but it was Katie Schumitz (Milford, Conn.) who nailed a three pointer with 1:19 on the clock to put the Lasers ahead for good.
It was a slow start for both teams tonight, with the Mustangs pulling ahead 6-0 over the course of five minutes. Schumitz hit her first three of the night to put the Lasers' first points on the board, but the Mustangs remained in control of the lead. Mount Ida had a turnover plagued half, totaling twenty losses of possession, which Lasell capitalized on to come within one point of the Mustangs. However, Mount Ida held on for a five point half time edge, 30-25.
Mount Ida's lead grew to nine, at 15:43, in the second half with Nicole Casimiro (Lee, NH) and Hannah Blum (Raleigh, NC) taking turns putting in baskets for the visiting team. The Lasers responded by keeping the game under a five point spread, and at 1:52 the Lasers tied the game, at 58-all, as Tricia Culver (North Hampton, Mass.) drove through traffic in the lane to lay in a hoop.
Schumitz nailed her third and deciding three-pointer of the game in the next Laser possession, to give Lasell their first lead of the game. Casimiro knocked down a baseline jumper for Mount Ida, but those were the last points of the game for the Mustangs, and added three more free throws for a 64-60 win.
Both Schumitz and Katie Farr (Rindge, NH) finished in double-figures with twelve points a piece. Farr added five assists and Culver culminated the evening with seven rebounds, seven points and three assists.
Blum and Cherie Parisi (South Attleboro, Mass.) tallied double-doubles for the Mustangs. Blum added 16 points to 19 rebounds and 2 blocks, and Parisi had twelve points and 11 rebounds, seven of which were offensive. Casimiro had a team-best seventeen points.
The Lasers snapped a four game losing streak with tonight's victory and closed out the night at 7-15 overall and 4-5 in the GNAC. Mount Ida owns a 8-14 overall record and are 2-7 in the conference.
Lasell next travels to Emmanuel College, on Saturday, for a 1:00 p.m. game with the Saints.