Springfield Defeats Women's Basketball In Season Opener

Worcester, MA --- Senior Kelly Slattery (Somers, CT) tallied a game-best 24 points to help lead Springfield to a 64-41 triumph over Worcester State in non-conference women's basketball action this evening at the Lancer Gym.

The Pride (1-0) were also led by junior Meghan Biondolillo (Levittown, NY) who netted 13 points as classmate Colleen Dignum (Albany, NY) added 11. Third-year Emily Walker (East Lyme, CT) gobbled up a game-best nine rebounds while senior Kelly Murphy (Mechanicville, NY) had a great all-around game with eight assists, four points, four steals and three rebounds.

Sophomore Meaghan Burns (W. Brookfield, MA) paced the Lancers (0-1) with 12 points and seven caroms and senior Kaleigh Charette (Fairhaven, MA) chipped in with eight points, five rebounds and three assists. Freshman Shannen El-Qasem (Rutland, MA) also recorded seven points and five rebounds for WSU.

The game was close midway through the opening half as a Biondolillo lay-up made the score 13-10 at the 8:06 mark.

Worcester State freshman Cheyenne Jennings (Worcester, MA/Wachusett) connected for a jumper to get within one with 6:07 remaining (13-12), but then Springfield would go on a 10-0 run as they were sparked by a three-pointer by Biondolillo to take over a solid 23-12 advantage 2½ minutes later.

After El-Quasem ended the drought with a traditional three-point play to cut into the lead, Slattery and freshman Jaime Bickelhaupt (Brookfield, CT) notched back-to-back field goals for the 27-15 advantage at the intermission.

Coming out of the locker room, the Pride would balloon the lead up 41-17 with 16:41 left on the clock for their largest advantage of the game.

Six minutes later, Springfield would continue to hold the 20-plus point margin (44-22) before the Lancers would go on a 7-2 surge to trail by 17 at the halfway point (46-29), but that was as close as they would get for the remainder of the contest as the visitors cruised ahead for their first victory of the season.

The Pride shot a blistering 49 percent for the game (26-for-53) while they were also 6-for-12 from three point land. Springfield also distributed the ball well as 17 of their 26 field goals were assisted.

Worcester State had a poor night around the basket as they connected for just 28 percent for the contest (14-for-51). Despite that fact, they were 12-for-16 from the free throw line and had the final lead in offensive boards (10-5).

Both squads were even in rebounding (33-33) as the Pride had the 18-11 advantage in points off of turnovers.

The two squads will play in tournaments on the road on Friday evening. Worcester State takes on Becker in the opening round of the Worcester City Tournament at 6 PM while the Pride face off against Trinity (CT) in the B & H Travel Tip-Off Tournament at Bridgewater State in a 7:30 affair.