Newton, Mass. – Senior Meg Carroll (Douglas, Mass.) scored a Lasell single game record 39 points to lead the Lasell University Lasers women's basketball team to their first win of the season over the Northern Vermont at Johnson Badgers, 76-59, Tuesday at the Lasell Athletic Center.
Carroll had a double double adding 20 rebounds to her 39 points and 11 of her rebounds came on the offensive glass. Freshman Juju Nealy (Fitchburg, Mass.) was the only other Laser in double figures with 13 points and added four steals. Freshman Jasmine DePina (Providence, R.I.) had 13 rebounds and senior Brooke Damboise (Bolton, Conn.) had double digit rebounds as well with 12.
The Badgers had even scoring throughout their lineup with three out of five starters reaching at least 10 points. Freshman Paris Atuhene (Buckeye, Ariz.) led the Badgers with 15 points and added 10 rebounds with five steals. Freshman Kimora Parker (Phoenix, Ariz.) scored 11 points and fellow classmate Shaydee Gunnell (Portland, Ore.) scored 10. Junior Devyn Thompson (Waldorf, Md.) scored 12 points off the bench.
The was little to separate the two sides in the first quarter as the biggest lead was five in favor of the Badgers thanks in part to a barrage of three-pointers by Thompson. A layup and free throw by Carroll made it a two-point Badger advantage going into the second quarter.
The Badgers opened the second quarter and continued to keep their lead up until just under seven minutes left when Lasell drew level on a Nealy layup. After tying the game up the Lasers pulled away going on a nine to zero run. Northern Vermont answered the 9-0 run with a 6-0 run of their own with two quick three-pointers. Carroll ended the game making two layups to give Lasell a seven-point cushion going into half.
There was not much to separate the two sides again in the third quarter. Both teams traded baskets for much of the half. Lasell got their lead to double figures and got it as high as 14 before a pair of Badger free throws ended the quarter.
Carroll had a strong end to the her game going four of seven from the field and four of four from the free throw line scoring 12 points. She also brought down eight rebounds while only playing seven of the ten minutes. Lasell dominated the rebounding in the fourth bringing down more offensive rebounds than the Badgers had total. Lasell had 24 rebounds compared to Northern Vermont with eight.
Lasell had a large edge in the paint scoring 50 of their points in the paint compared to 18 by the Badgers. Lasell also had a 25-rebound advantage over Northern Vermont.
The win was the first in the head coaching career of Kelly Sundberg.
The Lasers will be back in action on Thursday December 2, when they travel to Rivier University for their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference action. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.