PAXTON, MA- Anna Maria College women's basketball team connected on eight free throws in the final minute to pull away from Lasell College and take a 60-52 non-conference win on Saturday afternoon.
The teams traded leads throughout the first half coming up on a narrow 26-24 Anna Maria lead at intermission after a three-pointer by AMCAT Emily Nugent (Worcester, MA) and a bucket by Chelsea Blair (Holland, MA) toppled Lasell's late advantage.
Freshman guard Kayla Vincelette (Westport, MA) starred for Lasell in the first half, scoring nine of her total 11 points in the period, while senior guard Katie Farr notched five assists in the half. AMCAT leading scorer Tonique Adkins (New Haven, CT) put away 12 points and Blair collected 10 boards and six points in the frame.
The second half was just as charged as the first, with both sides struggling to seize control. Farr caught fire, producing 10 points and a pair of assists in the half, but Anna Maria's points in the paint and second-chance balls proved to be Lasell's undoing. The AMCATS outscored the Lasers by a margin of 22-14 in the paint and 11-6 off the glass.
Lasell saw their last lead of the game, 44-43, with 3:56 remaining when Kim Archibald (Lewiston, ME) powered her way to the basket. Samantha Ashton (Worcester, MA) gave Anna Maria back the lead in the following possession, connecting at the elbow but Anna Holcomb (Quincy, MA) brought Lasell back within one point, at 46-45, hitting two from the charity stripe with two minutes to go. Regardless of the seven points Farr produced in the final minute, the AMCATS went 8-for-10 from the line in that sixty seconds en route to the 60-52 victory.
Adkins dropped a game-high 20 points, shooting 8-of-15 from the field, and conjuring up four steals. Blair was the only player to reach a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds though Ashton came close with an 11-point, nine-rebound effort.
Farr led the Lasers with 12 points while also dishing out a career-best seven helpers. Senior guard Brittany Jefferies (Medford, MA) and Vincelette tallied 11 points each and Archibald matched eight points with eight boards. Farr, Vincelette, and Archibald all had a pair of steals in the contest but it was sophomore guard Ashley Slattery (Weymouth, MA) who came up with a game-high four steals in the loss.
The Lasers return to the court after the winter recess on January 4th, hosting Brandeis University at 7:00 p.m.