NEWTON, Mass. (12/3/15) – The Lasell women's basketball team fell short to the visiting Owls of Westfield State University 90-81 in non-conference action Thursday evening in the Athletic Center. With the setback the Lasers shift to 3-4 overall while the Owls even out at 3-3.

STAT LEADERS FOR LASELL             

• Despite the deficit, senior guard Katie Stopera (Hollis, N.H.) poured in a game-high 30 points and was just short of a double-double with eight rebounds.
• Sophomore Brianna Hoffman (Mildford, N.H.) turned her first double-double as a Laser with 11 points and 12 rebounds, while senior guard Deanna Barrett (Berlin, Conn.) went 6-for-17 from the floor with 14 points.

STAT LEADERS FOR WESTFIELD

• Freshman guard Lucy Barrett (Williamstown, Mass.) went 7-for-13 from the floor to go along with 50% shooting from downtown to score 21 points overall.
• Senior center Forbasaw Nkamebo (Amherst, Mass.) dominated her second double-double of the season 18 baskets and a game-best 13 caroms.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Owls led from start to finish, rattling off an early 9-0 run to contribute to 44.0% shooting in the first quarter. With 4:06 left to go in half one, Westfield took its largest lead of 23 points after junior guard Krisy Segarra (Holyoke, Mass.) sunk 1-of-2 shots from the charity stripe.
• The Lasers would not go quietly, as they adjusted to Westfield's fast speed of play - a team that averages 85 points per game - and strung together eight unanswered points to pull within seven (55-48) with 3:17 left to go in the third.
• Lasell kept the ante up in the fourth quarter as it matched Westfield's 28 points that would go unjustified as the Owls came out with an eventual 90-81 victory.  
  
  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Lasers held a 38.5% to 36.8% margin in shots from the floor, while the Owls scored 33 points from behind the arc compared to the Lasers' 21.
• Westfield state scored a whopping 37 points off Lasell's turnovers, while both teams deadlocked in second chance points (15) and points in the paint (30).
  
  

WHAT'S NEXT

• Both teams return to non-league action on Saturday, December 3 at 1:00. The Lasers will hit the road for the first time since November 18 when they face Fitchburg State, while the Owls travel to familiar GNAC foe Rivier University.