BOSTON, MA – The Emmanuel Women's Basketball team cruised to an 85-55 win over Lasell College in the Saints' Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) opener on Tuesday night in the Jean Yawkey Center. 

Emmanuel had four players score in double figures as the Saints improved to 5-6 overall and 1-0 in the GNAC.  Fiona O'Dwyer (Stamford, CT) topped all scorers with 16 points, shooting 8-for-12 from the field.  O'Dwyer was followed by Meghan Kirwan (Melrose, MA) with 14 points, Liz Daley (Sharon, MA) with 12, and Beanna Ockimey (Philadelphia, PA) with 11.  Daley chipped in additionally with nine rebounds and three steals while Kirwan and Laura Benvenuto (Wickoff, NJ) dished out five helpers each.  

Lasell, which fell to 1-11 on the season and 0-2 in conference play, earned 14 points apiece from GNAC Rookie of the Week Kayla Vincelette (Westport, MA) and senior Katie Farr (Rindge, NH).  Sophomore guard Ashley Slattery (Weymouth, MA) added ten points and junior forward JoAnna Bishop (So. Burlington, VT) chipped in with nine.  Farr additionally registered a team-best six grabs off the glass and a game-high six assists.  

Vincelette and Bishop each drained three-pointers early for the visitors, but Emmanuel matched their scoring with six points from Kirwan.  O'Dwyer added a jumper for the Saints to give them the edge, but Vincelette countered with another trey moments later to give Lasell a 9-8 lead.

Emmanuel caught fire to go on an 11-2 run building up a 19-11 lead with 12 minutes remaining in the half.  Vincelette kept Lasell in the contest, totaling 10 of the Lasers first 15 points. The Saints established a 31-20 lead after Farr and Kirwan traded buckets in the paint with six minutes to play in the frame.  A 13-4 stretch by the hosts made way for the 44-24 halftime score as the teams headed into the locker rooms for the break. 

Kirwan led all scorers with 14 points in the opening frame with Vincelette adding 12 for the Lasers. Emmanuel held a strong advantage in points in the paint, holding a 34-4 edge against Lasell, while also leading in second-chance points, 12-3. The Saints shot 52.5% (21-40) from the field in the first half, while the Lasers went 7-for-22.

Senior Casey Shevlin (Medford, N.Y.) opened the second half with a three-pointer and O'Dwyer followed with a bucket before Lasell could get points on the board. Farr responded to the Saints 30-point lead by putting in a three of her own at the opposite end.  The Saints produced the largest spread of the game, 81-39, at which point Lasell's junior guard Kara Hinthorne (Rockland, MA) drained back-to-back three-point field goals from the same spot behind the arc for a quick six-point swing.  The Saints, however, held on to the 30-point edge and finished the contest with an 85-55 win.

Lasell returns to action on Thursday night, January 13th, playing at Simmons College.  Tip off is slated for 7:00 p.m.