NEWTON, Mass. (11/24/15) – The Lasell women's basketball team handed the Golden Bears of Western New England University its third loss of the season, 58-56, on Tuesday evening in the Athletic Center. The Lasers break .500 with the win at 3-2 while the Golden Bears sink to 2-3.

STAT LEADERS FOR LASELL

• Senior guard Katie Stopera (Hollis, N.H.) led all players with 24 points on the night – her fifth straight game in double-digit scoring. Just short of a double-double, Stopera grabbed seven rebounds off the glass and dished out two assists.
• Senior guard Deanna Barrett (Berlin, Conn.) just missed double figures as well, scoring 11 points and nine rebounds – all on the defensive side of the court. Freshman forward Liz Bougie (Sanford, Maine) rounded out the scoring for Lasell with nine points, five rebounds, and a single steal.
  
  
  

STAT LEADERS FOR WESTERN NEW ENGLAND

• Junior forward Emily Anderson led the visitors with 21 points of the night with five rebounds, two assists, and a single block.
• Senior guard Chelsea Vujs (Berlinn, Conn.) was the only other Golden Bear to score in double-digits, and recorded her second double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
• Junior guard Sammie Battaini (Leominster, Mass.) made a significant impact off the pine and put away seven points, four assists, and two rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In an evenly matched first half, the Lasers used back-to-back shots from downtown – courtesy of Barrett and Stopera – to gain a substantial lead on the visitors heading into the locker room, 30-24. Lasell gave a consistent and effective second half, shooting 40.7% from the field and 75.0% from the charity stripe.
• With 6:12 left on the clock, Western New England's sophomore guard Dorothy O'Neill (Staten Island, N.Y.) made a deep jumper to deadlock the game at 46-all. Stopera and Bougie grabbed a pair of clutch defensive rebounds, who in turn knocked down two baskets for a promising lead of 52-48. Vujs kept the visitors in the game with a three-point shot to force a Lasell timeout, however, Barrett drew a foul at WNE's limit and knocked down a free throw for the 58-56 victory.
  
  
  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Golden Bears edged the Lasers 40.0% to 38.5, yet owned downtown shooting 69.2% to 46.2%.
• 11 points from the Lasers came from forced turnovers, while the Golden Bears held a slim advantage in bench points 10-9
  
  
  

WHAT'S NEXT

The Lasers return to the Athletic Center on Monday, November 30 when they host MCLA, while the Golden Bears head to Gordon College on Wednesday, December 2 at 5:30 p.m.