Surprenant Nets Career-High 21 Points and Sweeney Earns Career-Bests in Two Categories Despite 67-54 Setback to Western New England

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Worcester State University's junior guard Kate Surprenant (Pelham, N.H.) logged a career-high 21 points and sophomore Catherine Sweeney (Lowell, Mass.) posted career-bests in two categories (rebounds and steals) in the Blue and Gold's 67-54 setback to Western New England in a Tuesday evening non-conference matchup.

THE BASICS

November 21, 2017

Alumni Healthful Living Center

Score: Western New England 67, Worcester State 54

Records: Western New England (2-1) | Worcester State (2-2)

1^ST QUARTER

The first quarter saw three ties until Western New England pushed away on buckets from Emily Scurka (Billerica, Mass.), Emily Farrell (New Fairfield, Conn.), and Dorothy O'Neill (Staten Island, N.Y.) to attain a 15-9 advantage going into the second quarter. Worcester State's Surprenant, Britt Herring (West Brookfield, Mass.) and Sweeney were the only scorers for the Blue and Gold in the first 10 minutes of play.

2^ND QUARTER

Western New England's Courtney Carlson (Woodbury, Conn.) and Meghan Orbann (East Hampton, Conn.) each drained a pair of free throws to begin the second frame, advancing the Bears' lead to 10. The Lancers broke the run with a triple from Brianna Hackett (Hollis, N.H.) and a layup from Surprenant. The Bears once again broke away and went on a 10-2 run to gain a 14 point lead. Hackett, Sweeney, and Surprenant put six points up the board following the Bears' lead to get within eight. Orbann, however, converted 4-of-4 free throw chances to give the Bears a 34-22 gain at the half.

3^RD QUARTER

Surprenant got the Lancers within 10 once again on an and-one with 7:58 to go in the third period. Each team traded buckets throughout the remainder as Surprenant and Colleen Cutting (Auburn, Mass.) scored buckets for Worcester State, and O'Neill, Hannah Zirkel (Westbury, N.Y.) and Carlson scored for the Bears.

4^TH QUARTER

The Bears were ahead by 11 going into the second frame and kept the margin throughout. They held their largest lead of 17 (61-44) on a layup by junior Caroline Niland (Waltham, Mass.) with 4:41 remaining before going on to win by 13. Kaitlin Berkel (Waterford, Conn.) and Surprenant each totaled five points in the final frame, while the Bears' Meghan Gilhool (Montrose, Pa.) and Niland tallied four each.

CRUNCH THE NUMBERS

• Surprenant, who scored 20 points this past week in the win over Clark University, earned another career-high with 21 points in the setback to Western New England. She made 7-of-12 shots from the field and went 6-for-7 from the charity stripe.
• Berkel, Herring, and Sweeney tallied 9-8-7 points, respectively.
• Sweeney posted career-highs in two categories: rebounds (12) and steals (6).
• Western New England's attack was led by Orbann who had 13 points, and O'Neill who had 11.
• Orbann and Giholl each registered nine boards each, while Gilhool had a game-best three blocks.
• Worcester State shot 31.3% from the field, while Western New England went 42.3%.  
• Western New England outscored the Lancers in every quarter except the third when Worcester State edged the Bears 16-15.

UP NEXT

Worcester State opens at home on Sunday (Nov. 26) against Wellesley. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside the Lancer Gymnasium.

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