Women's Hoops Defeats Fitchburg State in Home Opener for First Win of the Season

CHICOPEE, Mass. - The Elms College Women's Basketball team hosted Fitchburg State University in a non-conference game for their home opener of the 2025-26 season on Saturday afternoon.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 70 | Fitchburg State University 54
Records: Blazers 1-3, 0-0 (GNAC) | Falcons 1-2, 0-0 (MASCAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The game would begin with the two intrastate foes trading possession in the opening minutes, including steals by first year guard Sanaii Diaz (Worcester, Mass.) and senior guard Kelly LeBel (Tolland, Conn.). But shortly thereafter, Elms would make the first two baskets after LeBel would make a jump shot and a three-point shot, to give the Blazers a 5-0 lead, followed by a jump shot from sophomore forward/center Mary Turco (Winthrop, Mass.). Fitchburg State would score six points to bring the score to within a point, but Elms would continue to hold onto the lead, with a tip-in by junior forward Tatiana Pereira (Providence, R.I.), followed by jump shots from first year guard Malinna Figueroa (Waterbury, Conn.), Pereira, and Turco, along with steals by Diaz and Figueroa, to give the Blazers end the first quarter with a 15-12 lead. The second quarter would once again start by the two teams would continue to battle for the opening basket, until Figueroa would hit a three-point shot, after receiving a pass from senior forward/center Talia Uribe (South Hadley, Mass.). Elms would close out the half with first year forward Devynn Watford (Billerica, Mass.) making a tip-in, followed by three-point shots from senior guard Piper Graham (Lancaster, Penn.) and graduate student guard Angelina Cellucci (Sicklerville, N.J.), and a layup by sophomore forward Stephanie Mildner (Moscow, Penn.). Unfortunately, the Falcons would rally back to take the lead, 28-29, going into the halftime break.

The third quarter would once again see the Blazers score first, with Figueroa scoring on a jump shot and a three-point shot seconds later. The two sides would continue to battle for the lead, with Diaz adding a steal, followed by a free throw by Turco. Moments later, LeBel would make a steal and breakaway with a layup. Turco would add a pair of free throws and sophomore Gabby Wasiewicz (Worcester, Mass.) would make back-to-back three-point shots, along with a steal by Uribe. As the quarter neared its end, Graham would make a three-point shot, after receiving a pass from junior guard/forward Sophia Andrade (Southwick, Mass.), followed by a three-point shot from Andrade, and a pair of successful free throws made by Turco, along with another steal by Uribe, to give Elms a 52-40 lead at the end of the quarter. The fourth quarter would see FSU on the scoreboard first, scoring four baskets in the first three minutes. LeBel would make a steal, followed by a combined three free throws by Diaz and Turco. The Falcons would continue their efforts to narrow the Blazers lead, but Elms would continue to add to their lead, with Uribe making a free throw, Pereira adding a three-point shot, a jump shot, and a layup, Turco recording a pair of layups, Diaz making a steal, and Cellucci making a three-point shot in the final seconds to secure the 70-54 victory over Fitchburg State to win their first game of the 2025-26 season.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Turco - 15 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists.

• Pereira - 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists.

• Figueroa - ten points, three rebounds, and a steal.

• LeBel - seven points, three steals, and a rebound.

• Diaz - four steals, three assists, two rebounds, and a point.

• Graham -  six points, two assists, and a rebound.

• Wasiewicz - six points and two rebounds.

• Cellucci - six points and rebound.

• Lopez - four rebounds.

• Andrade - three points, two rebounds, and an assist.

• Uribe - three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a point.

• Glover - three rebounds.

• Watford -  two points and two rebounds.

• Mildner - two points.

UP NEXT: The Elms College Women's Basketball team will travel to Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y. on Wednesday, November 19th to face Bard College in a non-conference game at 6:30 pm.

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