NEWTON, Mass. (1/28/16) – The Lasell College women's basketball team downed the visiting Sharks of Simmons College 55-51 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action Thursday night inside the Athletic Center Gym. With the win the Lasers shift to 10-9 overall and even out at 3-3 in league play, while the Sharks drop to 7-10 this year and 1-5 in the GNAC.

STAT LEADERS FOR LASELL

Senior guard Katie Stopera (Hollis, N.H.) turned her fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds on 4-for-10 shooting from the floor. Sophomore guard Morgan Church (New London, N.H.) came off the bench to contribute 10 points – connecting on 2-of-2 baskets from three-point range – with four additional rebounds.

STAT LEADERS FOR SIMMONS

Three players reached double figures for the Sharks with sophomore forward Presley Silva (Wilmington, Mass.) leading the charge with 14 points, five assists and eight caroms. Freshman Francesca Corsinetti (Johnston, R.I.) followed with 11 points and three steals, while senior forward Nicole Alberghini (Northborough, Mass.) rounded out double digit scoring with 10 points and eight rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED 

In an evenly matched first half, the Lasers held a 25-20 lead entering the halftime break. Corsinetti converted on a crucial three pointer to open the third stanza, followed by three freebies from Silva and Alberghini. With 4:57 on the game clock, Stopera ignited an 8-2 run for Lasell, highlighted by a critical three-pointer from senior guard Sammy Long (Staten Island, N.Y.) to put the Lasers up 44-31.

The comfortable lead wouldn't last long for the home team, as the Sharks slowly chipped away at the deficit. After a good tossup by sophomore guard Sherilyn Small (Springfield, Mass.), Simmons held Lasell to 52 while Corsinetti teamed up with freshman Rebekah Carroll (Londonderry, N.H.) to pull within three, 52-49. Small converted on 1-of-2 throws from the line but was immediately answered by a jumper from senior guard Gracie Rolfe (Newton, Mass.), forcing a 30-second timeout from the hosts.

The Lasers held composure in the final five seconds of play, as Stopera drew a foul and knocked down both shots from the line en route to the 55-51 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Neither squad registered favorable numbers from the field, as Simmons held a 34.7% to 32.8% shooting advantage. Simmons held a slim margin on the glass (40-39) and scored eight points from second chance opportunities compared to Lasell's seven.

WHAT'S NEXT

Both teams return to GNAC play on Saturday, January 30 at 1:00 p.m. The Lasers will head to Rivier University to face the Raiders in the first game of a league doubleheader, while the Sharks welcome the Falcons of Albertus Magnus.