NEWTON, Mass. – Lasell College held Saint Joseph's College (Maine) to a season-low point total Tuesday evening, but the two-time defending Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's basketball champions proved too strong, defeating the Lasers, 58-38, at the Lasell Athletic Center.

The Monks close out January with a 10-0 record for the month, posting their 17th straight victory and improving to 18-1 overall and 10-0 in conference play. Lasell falls to 3-14 overall and 1-9 in the GNAC. The 58 points for the Monks were their lowest this season, eclipsing the 62 points they scored three weeks ago in a win at Simmons College.

Junior Kelsi McNamara (West Newbury, Mass.), the reigning GNAC Player of the Year, led the Monks with 16 points and six assists. Classmates Hannah Marks (Waldoboro, Maine) and Julia Champagne (Brunswick, Maine) added 12 points apiece, with Marks grabbing a team-high seven rebounds, and fellow junior Emily Benway (Rochester, N.H.) chipped in with 11 points.

Senior Morgan Church (New London, N.H.) was the only Laser to reach double figures in scoring, finishing with 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Freshman Meghan Carroll (Douglas, Mass.) contributed eight points for Lasell and sophomore Dana Ross (East Haven, Conn.) collected a game-high nine rebounds.

The upset-minded Lasers shot 50 percent in the first quarter (6-of-12) and held a 14-10 lead after 10 minutes, but the Monks roared back in the second quarter. It was a two-point game (20-18) with seven minutes on the clock, but Saint Joe's ran off 11 consecutive points to close out the half with a 31-18 margin. The visitors shot 50 percent in the second quarter (6-of-12) while holding Lasell to 18 percent (2-of-11).

The Monks extended their lead in the third quarter and led 49-26 heading into the final frame. Lasell outscored the visitors 12-9 in the final 10 minutes but couldn't overcome the deficit.

Both teams play conference games again on Thursday (Feb. 1) as Lasell visits Rivier University at 7:00 p.m. and Saint Joe's returns home to host Regis College at 6:00 p.m.

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