Women's Basketball Outshines Lasell on Senior Day

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Basketball team hosted Lasell University for their final regular season Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) matchup on Saturday afternoon for their annual Senior Day.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 63 | Lasell University 58
Records: Blazers 9-16, 6-8 (GNAC) | Lasers 11-14, 6-8 (GNAC)

PRIOR TO THE GAME

The Elms College Women's Basketball team their two seniors; Soliyana Asfaw (West Orange, N.J.) and manager Francesca Dirienzo (West Springfield, Mass.), and their one graduate student Rahmia Johnston (Newtown, Conn.), prior to the start of the conference matchup and regular season finale.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Lasell would start the contest by making the first basket, but Elms would quickly respond on their next possession after sophomore guard Jade Lewis (Orlando, Fla.) would connect with an open first year forward/center Mary Turco (Winthrop, Mass.) for a layup to tie the game. The Blazers offense would continue to add to the score with a second layup by Turco, assisted by junior guard Piper Graham (Lancaster, Penn.), along with a three-point shot and a layup from Johnston, but the Laser would then gain the lead, after making 11-points. As the opening quarter neared its end, Johnston would find an open Graham for a three-pointer, but Lasell would hold on to their lead 20-12. The second quarter would begin with Lasell continuing their scoring from the first quarter, adding an unanswered seven points, but the Elms defense would not give in, after a second block by Turco would lead to a layup from Turco. As the Lasers would continue to add to their lead, the Blazers would remain resilient after layups by Johnston and junior forward/center Talia Uribe (South Hadley, Mass.), followed by a steal from Uribe and a pair of free throws by Johnston and Uribe, but Lasell would hold on to the lead going into the halftime break, 34-22.

The third quarter would begin with Elms on the offensive, after a layup from Turco and a tip-in by Graham, followed by a jump shot from Graham, and a three-point by Johnston, to cut the deficit to three-points. The two conference foes would would continue to battle, as Elms would continue to fight, with the assistance of Turco making a layup, Lewis scoring on a three-point shot, two jumpshots, and a tip-in, sophomore guard/forward Sophia Andrade (Southwick, Mass.) recording a three-pointer, to bring the score to 46-45 at the end of the third quarter. The fourth and final quarter would see the Laser on the offensive early, but the Blazers would continue to fight for their season, with Johnston recording a block and a pair of free throws to bring the game to a point differential, 48-47. Moments later, Elms would gain the lead after a pair of free throws by Uribe, a steal and a layup by Johnston. As the final minutes ticked off the clock, the Blazers would hold on to their lead, with the assistance of a steal and a tip-in by Turco, a free throw from Andrade, a three-point shot, a layup, and a pair of free throws by Lewis, and a pair of free throws from Johnston, and Elms would defeat Lasell 63-58, to secure the eight seed in the 2024-2025 GNAC Women's Basketball Tournament.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Johnston - 18 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.

• Lewis -  16 points, three rebounds, an assist, and a steal.

• Turco - 12 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks, an assist, and a steal.

• Graham - seven points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

• Uribe - six points, two rebounds, and a steal.

• Andrade - four points and three rebounds.

UP NEXT: The No. 8 Elms College Women's Basketball team will host No. 9 Lasell University in the Play-In Round of the 2024-25 GNAC Women's Basketball Tournament on Monday, February 24th at 5 pm at Picknelly Arena.

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