WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester State University women's basketball team posted a 74-62 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over visiting Bridgewater State University on Wednesday evening at Brissette Gymnasium.
The Lancers improve to 12-6 on the season and 4-2 in the MASCAC with their fourth straight win, while the Bears fall to 7-12 overall and 3-3 in conference play. Worcester has won five of the last six meeting between the two teams.
Senior forward Mya Mosley (Worcester, Mass.) scored a game-high 19 points and added six rebounds for the hosts, while senior guard Catherine Sweeney (Lowell, Mass.) recorded a double-double with 12 points and ten boards. Freshman guard Elizabeth Gallella (Tewksbury, Mass.) contributed 13 points in 19 minutes off the bench for the Lancers.
Freshman guard Kylee Piché (Bridgewater, Mass.) paced Bridgewater State with 12 points, six rebounds and three assists. Sophomore guard Hannah Dziadyk (Wakefield, Mass.) added ten points for the Bears.
Both teams struggled on offense out of the gate with Bridgewater State holding a 10-7 lead after one quarter of play. The Bears connected on just 5 of 21 (24%) field goals in the opening period, while the Lancers went 2-for-18 (11%) from the floor and 3-for-8 (37.5%) at the free throw line.
Worcester State dominated the second quarter as the Lancers held the Bears to just one field goal and five points in the period. A 12-0 run in the session helped the hosts turn a 12-9 deficit into a 21-12 lead. Cutting, LeMay and Sweeney tallied four points apiece during the run. The Lancers would go on to take a 25-15 advantage into the break.
Sweeney and Mosley notched six points apiece in the first half for the Lancers who shot 42% (8-19) in the second quarter and 27% (10-37) over the first two periods. Hester paced Bridgewater State with six first-half points. The Bears knocked down just 6 of 34 (18%) field goals over the first 20 minutes.
The Bears chipped away at the deficit and closed to within three, 35-32, following a Piche trifecta with 2:35 remaining in the third quarter. The Lancers, however, closed out the period with 13-4 run to head into the final period with a 12-point (48-36) lead. Worcester maintained the double-digit advantage throughout the fourth quarter. The Lancers got up by as many as 17 points (73-56) before settling for the 74-62 victory.
The Lancers shot 41% (29-71) for the game and finished 16-for-25 (64%) at the free throw line. The Bears converted 33% (25-76) and went 4-for-11 (36%) from behind the arc and 8-for-12 (67%)at the charity stripe. The two teams combined to turn the ball over 42 times.
Worcester held the advantage in points off turnovers (21-12), points in the paint (52-38), second chance points (13-8) and fastbreak points (28-10).
The Bears head to MCLA on Saturday for a one o'clock MASCAC game with the Trailblazers. The Lancers are off until Monday, February 3rd when they travel to Nichols College to take on the Bison at seven.