Lancers Shut Down Fitchburg State in 51-37 Win

Worcester State 50, Fitchburg State 37

Box Score  

Worcester, MA --- Freshman Kaleigh Charette (Fairhaven, MA) tallied 12 points with eight rebounds and three steals while junior Reilly O’Keefe (Warren, MA) notched 10 points with eight boards to help pace Worcester State, 51-37, over Fitchburg State this evening in women’s MASCAC basketball action at Lancer Gymnasium.

The Lancers (7-15, 3-7 MASCAC) snap a six-game losing streak against the Falcons (13-9, 6-3 MASCAC) and avenge their 78-48 loss earlier this season. FSC’s 37 point total is their smallest scoring output of the year and its also 30 points below their average.

With Worcester State nursing a 10-4 lead six minutes into the contest, Fitchburg State went on a 7-0 run with four points from senior Stephanie Payette (Townsend, MA) to take the 11-10 advantage 60 seconds later.

Both teams would go back and forth without a basket for the next four minutes until WSC sophomore Kathleen Foley (Hudson, NH) broke the drought with a lay-up at 9:43.

The Lancers would then go on a 14-5 run over the next eight minutes to lead 26-16. Payette would then help the Falcons slice into the lead just before the intermission with four straight points to trail 26-20 at the break.

Worcester State went on a 6-0 run to open the first three minutes of the second stanza (34-20) and they would never relinquish the double-digit lead. WSC’s largest lead came with 7:15 remaining with the score 47-31.

Fitchburg State, however, would not go away as they continued to try anything to get back into the game. They were not helped out by the fact that they went 1-for-6 from the field and 0-for-6 from the three-point line to close out the game.

The Falcons actually finished shooting 18% for the game making just 11 of 61 shots from the floor and they hit just three of 23 attempts from beyond the arch. Worcester State connected for a solid 45% for the contest (22-for-49).

Fitchburg State edged the Lancers out in rebounds, 41-40, with a 20-11 edge coming off the offensive glass and they also turned 25 WSC turnovers into 15 points.

Worcester State sophomore Alexis George (Worcester, MA) finished with 11 points while junior Brianne Flanders (Southampton, MA) corralled a game-best nine rebounds.

Payette paced the Falcons with 10 points and five boards while freshman Jamie Bertilson (Ridgefield, CT) chipped in with seven points and seven caroms.

Both teams will host MASCAC contests on Saturday and it will be their “Pink Zone” nights where they will each try to raise money for the Kay Yow/WCBA Cancer Fund. Worcester State will entertain Bridgewater State at 4 PM while Fitchburg State will host Salem State at 1 o’clock.