Newton, MA- The Lasers produced a big GNAC women's basketball victory today on their home court, flying by the Blue Jays of St. Joseph College of Connecticut, 77-51. Lasell's senior forward Tricia Culver (Northampton, MA) scored 15 points and picked up seven rebounds in the league win, and freshman forward Kim Archibald (Lewiston, ME) notched her eighth season double-double, matching 13 points with 13 rebounds.
The Lasers had control of the game from the fourteenth minute on after a three-pointer by Katie Farr (Rindge, NH) turned the tables in favor of Lasell. With ten minutes on the clock, freshman guard Reegan Brackett (Scarborough, ME) hit a wing jumper in transition and sent the Lasers on an impressive 14-2 run, leaving the visitors behind by seventeen total points. Strong defense by Lasell caused consecutive Blue Jay turnovers which turned into extra opportunities for the Lasers, giving them the notable advantage.
St. Joseph's Natalie Mastarreno (Glastonbury, CT) eventually broke the Blue Jay's stalemate with a coast-to-coast layup, with 3:20 on the clock. A three-pointer by Kara Hinthorne (Rockland, MA) and two steals converted into fast-break buckets by Victoria Elms (Glastonbury, CT) closed the half with a 24 point Lasell edge, at 40-16.
Lasell shot 40% in the first half, and made 12 steals on 20 Blue Jay turnovers. St. Joseph shot just 27% before halftime.
Upon returning to action, Lasell continued to dominate, and by three minutes into the half Kelsey Converse (Laconia, NH) drained a three pointer to give Lasell, a 49-20, edge. The Lasers pulled away by upwards of thirty points at 8:03, with a score of 63-30, after a jumper by Michelle Garrett (Hazlet, NJ). Hinthorne drained two more shots from downtown in the half, finishing the game with eleven total points.
Lasell's defense held the GNAC's leading scorer, Ilaria Schiano (Wallingford, CT), to just three points in the first half. In the second half, however, Schiano came out on fire and scored an additional 16 points to give her a game-high 19 total points.
The visitors did find the basket more easily in the second, improving their shooting percentage to 45% over the course of the half, but the Lasers held steady, shooting 35% for in the second period. Lasell also boasting a 49-39 advantage in rebounding, including a 23-11 edge in second chance offensive opportunities, to run away with the triumph.
Brackett and Farr each notched eight points for the home team, and Farr added five boards and four assists. Converse also pitched in with eight points, two assists, and three steals in the contest.
Masterreno tallied 15 points for St. Joseph College and grabbed seven rebounds. Terese Cerins (Manchester, CT) took down 11 boards and dropped in nine points in the defeat.
Lasell returns to GNAC action on Wednesday, February 3rd when they will travel to Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. Game time is set to begin at 7:00 p.m.