WORCESTER, Mass. – Worcester State overcame a 16-point deficit and held a 63-62 lead with two minutes remaining on Saturday afternoon, but the Bridgewater State Bears forced three turnovers in the final minute and handed the Lancers a 70-64 loss in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) women's basketball at Brissette '88 Competition Court.
The Lancers fall to 9-10 on the year and 4-3 in the MASCAC, while Bridgewater improves to 13-7 (5-2 MASCAC).
Kylie Grassi (Plymouth, Mass.) led all players with 26 points in the win for Bridgewater. Grassi was 8-14 from the field and 10-15 at the foul line.
Grassi hit a jumper with 1:36 to play to give the Bears back the lead, 64-63, but Elizabeth Gallella (Tewksbury, Mass.) tied it again by hitting the front end of a pair of free throws.
Arielle Cleveland (Groveland, Mass.) made the second of two free throws to give Bridgewater the lead again, and Worcester State couldn't get a shot off on the next three possessions.
A Destiny Fitzgerald (Medford, Mass.) layup and a pair of free throws by Sydney Bradbury (East Bridgewater, Mass.) extended the lead to five points with just 20 seconds remaining, helping to seal the win for the Bears.
Gigi LeMay (Grafton, Mass) finished with 10 points and a game-high 21 rebounds, helping Worcester to a slim 49-48 edge on the glass. LeMay also had four assists and two steals. Elizabeth Gallella had 18 points, 14 of them in the second half, and Abby St. Martin (Putnam, Conn.) scored 16 points off the bench, along with 7 rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
Cleveland had 10 rebounds for the Bears and just missed a double-double with 9 points.
LeMay led the Lancers at the half with 10 points, while Grassi, who was 10-12 from the line in the first half, had 14 points for Bridgewater at the break.
LeMay's layup pulled the Lancers to within three points midway through the second quarter, but the Bears outscored the Lancers 10-1 in the final 4:35 to take a 12-point lead to the break.
St. Martin had 10 points and was 4-5 from the field in the third quarter and the Lancers cut the deficit to just six, 48-42, by the end of the third quarter.
Elizabeth Gallella's two successful free throw attempts brought the Lancers to a tie, making it 52-52 with 5:59 remaining in the fourth quarter. Erin Gallella's (Tewksbury, Mass) successful free throw attempts put the Lancers ahead for the first time in the game, making it 58-56 with 4:19 remaining. Worcester State's largest lead of the game was that two-point margin.
Nyah Thomas (Attleboro, Mass.) and Erin Gallella scored eight points apiece for the Lancers, who shot under 30% from the field and were 0-13 from the three-point line.
Fitzgerald scored 14 points off the bench in the win for Bridgewater State.
Worcester State will be back at home next Wednesday, February 9th when they host Westfield State on Play4Kay Day. Fans are encouraged to wear pink as we support the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Tip-off is set for 5:30 PM.
Bridgewater travels to MCLA on Monday, February 7th at 5:30 PM.