NEWTON, MA- Kim Archibald (Lewiston, ME) produced her second double-double of the season to lead Lasell to a 52-41 victory over Gordon College Thursday night in non-conference women's basketball action. The triumph seals the Lasers' first win of the season, improving their record to 1-6, while the Fighting Scots drop to 1-7 with the loss.
Archibald led all scorers with 16 points while also grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds and picking up three steals and three blocks en route to the triumph. Lasell's freshman guard Kayla Vincelettecontributed 13 points and senior guards Katie Farr (Rindge. NH) and Brittany Jefferies (Medford, MA) added seven apiece.
For the Scots, senior Sara Schwanke (Duxbury, MA) contributed 12 points, and freshman Lauren Kranyak (Locust Grove, VA) put 10 on the board. Junior guard Catey Marshall (St. Johnsbury, VT) collected four offensive and four defensive boards for a team-best eight rebounds in the contest.
The teams were even on the glass, each side coming up with 35 rebounds throughout the matchup, however the Lasers' strong defensive forced 21 Gordon turnovers, while only giving up 13 of their own. Lasell also produced from the free throw line, shooting 85.7%, well above the Fighting Scots 59.1%.
Lasell won the tip-off and took four early points from Archibald in the post. A bucket by Gordon senior Kristen Weld (Greenfield, MN) and a layup on a back-door cut by Marshall tied the game up at four-all, at 15:40. Gordon began to break away after a three pointer from freshman Clancey Adams (West Simsbury, CT) on the left wing near the 13 minute mark, but their small lead did not last long as the Laser's came back to take the lead 10-9 on a Farr coast-to-coast uncontested bucket and a Archibald jumper on the wing. The second half of a pair of free throws by Gordon's Kranyak tied the game at 10-all and the Fighting Scots pulled ahead for the last time with a Schwanke tally in the lane with 6:10 left in the half.
Lasell came back to tie things up again at 14-as Vincelette cut to the hoop for an easy two points. A Jefferies deep jumper gave the Laser's the lead for good in the intense back and forth battle. The halftime buzzer sounded with Lasell leading, 18-15. Throughout the half, the squads swapped the lead four times and faced four ties.
Schwanke cut the Lasers' lead to just one with a backboard jump shot to open the second half, however Lasell moved the ball very well and furthered their lead early in the period earning points fromJoAnna Bishop (So. Burlington, VT) and Vincelette. By 11:39, Lasell held a nine point edge, and extended their advantage to double-figures by 8:28 on a Farr bucket in the paint.
With 7:02, Kranyak brought the Scots back within nine points on a put-back, but Lasell's Ashley Slattery (Weymouth, MA) went hard to the hoop to regain the hosts double-digit lead in the next play. The Lasers' took their biggest lead of 15 points (47-32) after Vincelette's third three-point play of the half and Lasell capped their scoring with a final freebie by Jefferies to seal the 52-41 decision.
The Lasers' next contest is slated for Saturday, December 11th at Anna Maria College with a 1:00 p.m. tip-off time. Gordon will entertain Mount Ida College on the same date and time.
Article by: Elizabeth Stickley, Sports Information Student Assistant