WELLESLEY, Mass. – Worcester State played their best defensive game of the season, holding Wellesley to 21% shooting in a 48-34 victory over the Blue in non-conference women's basketball action on Tuesday evening.
Worcester State allowed just ten points in the first half and held Wellesley under 30 points until the final minute of regulation.
Nyah Thomas (Attleboro, Mass.) led the Lancers with 11 points and three assists. Erin Gallella (Tewksbury, Mass.) also had three assists to go with nine points, while Gigi LeMay (Grafton, Mass.) led all players with 15 rebounds.
The Lancers scored just four points themselves in the first quarter, and despite being held to three field goals, Wellesley took a 6-4 lead with a layup by Lily Forrester at the end of the opening frame.
Worcester held Wellesley without a field goal in the second quarter until 2:28 remained in the half, going on a 13-2 run and eventually ending the half with a 19-10 lead.
Wellesley opened the second half by scoring ten of the first twelve points, but Thomas converted a three-point play and Katie Hurynowicz (Tyngsboro, Mass.) made a layup to stabilize the Lancer lead again.
A jump shot by Erin Gallella gave the Lancers a nine-point lead at the end of three, and Thomas opened the fourth with a jumper to push it to double-digits. The lead reached as much as 18 as again Worcester State held the Blue without a point until the final 3:27 of the game.
Sarah Blomgren (Lunenburg, Mass.) scored six points, as did Elizabeth Gallella (Tewksbury, Mass.), who grabbed five rebounds, helping the Lancers to a 42-36 edge on the boards.
Anna Greenthal led the Blue with 11 points, while Elle Petra had four points and nine rebounds.
Neither team found success from outside the arc, or at the foul line. The squads combined to shoot 1-29 from three-point land and 15-28 at the charity stripe.
Worcester State evens their record at 4-4 on the year ahead of a game at MIT on Saturday, December 4th. Tip-off for that game, the middle of three against NEWMAC opponents, is set for 3:00 pm in Cambridge.