Newton, Mass. – The Lasell University Lasers women's basketball team dropped the first game of 2022 to Great Northeast Athletic Conference foe Emmanuel College, 95-48, Thursday night at the Lasell Athletic Center.
Freshman Juju Nealy (Fitchburg, Mass.) led the Lasers with 12 points. Senior Meg Carroll (Douglas, Mass.) scored 11 points and added eight rebounds while junior Brooke Damboise (Bolton, Conn.) scored 10 points.
The Saints had balance scoring throughout their lineup as only one player failed to put points on the board. Sophmore Olivia Matela (Swampscott, Mass.) led the way with 15 points off the bench. Senior Riley Lahiff (Attleboro, Mass.) scored 14 points and added six steals. Freshman Yannie Chan (Hong Kong, China) scored 12 points and graduate student Jamad Fiin (Boston, Mass.) scored 10.
The Saints were fully in control of the game from the tip-off, starting the game on a 9-0 run. Their lead quickly ballooned from there scoring 12 of the next 16 points to hold a 17-point lead. The Saints lead got as large as 19 before back-to-back baskets by Damboise and Carroll.
The Lasers started the second like they ended the first making a three by Damboise followed up by a layup by junior Sheridan Blaha (Waltham, Mass.) to score the first five points of the quarter. Another Damboise three closed the gap to 13 as the Lasers scored eight of the first ten points. From there the Saints took over, going on a 20-0 run to end the quarter led by Lahiff with six and Matela with five points.
The Lasers showed some fight in the third quarter despite the deficit. They doubled more than doubled their point total from the first half in the third quarter. Nealy led the way for Lasell in the third scoring 10 of her 12 points in the quarter.
Lasell capped off a better second half with their performance in the fourth quarter led by Carroll who scored five points and graduate student Peyton Young (Douglas, Mass.) who scored 3. The better play in the second was not enough to overcome the Saints as the Lasers fell 95-48.
The Lasers will be back in action on Saturday, January 8, when they travel to Norwich University for a GNAC clash. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.