Newton, Mass. (01/19/2013) – The Lasell College women's basketball team utilized a balanced team attack to pick up a Great Northeast Athletic Conference victory over the visiting Mustangs of Mount Ida College, 77-64. Lasell improved to 7-8 on the year and 2-2 in GNAC play, while Mount Ida slipped to 6-10 on the season and 0-4 in conference play.
Molly Lauver (Cambridge, N.Y.) scored a game-high 24 points; Alexis Chappell (Springfield, Mass.) posted a double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds and Kayla Vincellette (Westport, Mass.) finished with 15 points and five assists for the Lasers. Lasell's Danielle Autencio (Montville, Conn.) scored eight points while grabbing 13 rebounds, and Ginelle Cola (Lowell, Mass.) chipped in with eight points and seven rebounds off the bench.
Evebonee Acosta (Hartford, Conn.) netted a team-high 16 points to lead four Mustangs in double figures, Jenn Rafuse (Brockton, Mass.) finished with a double-double scoring 14 points and grabbing 12 boards. Allison O'Connor (Leominster, Mass.) and Abbey Fedigan (New Fairfield, Conn.) each added 12 points for Mount Ida.
Mount Ida opened up with an early 7-5 lead just two and a half minutes into the game before Lasell responded with a 13-2 run over the next four minutes to take an 18-9 advantage with just under 13 minutes left in the opening half.
The Mustangs closed within five points at 22-17 with 8:18 remaining, before Lasell stretched their lead to 31-17 with four minutes left in the opening half. Lasell led by as many as 17 points over the final minutes of the half, taking a 42-25 lead into intermission.
The Lasers stretched their lead to 21 points, at 50-29 early in the second half before the visitors came charging back. Mount Ida rallied behind 10 points from Jenn Rafuse cutting the lead to 55-45 with 12 minutes to play in the game. A pair of free throws from Cola pushed the Lasell lead back to 12 points, but the Mustangs continued to push back, cutting the Lasell lead to five points at 57-52 with 8:12 on the clock.
A trifecta by Lasell's Lauver put Lasell back up eight, but Mount Ida scored seven of the games next eight points to trim the hosts advantage to just two at 61-59. The Lasers wouldn't give-in, scoring 16 of the game's final 21 points to pick up the 77-64 victory.
Mount Ida will return home for the first of four straight home games when they host Rivier University on January 21st, while Lasell will head to Simmons College for a 7:00 p.m. tilt on Monday January 21st.