BROOKLINE, Mass. – Elms College junior forward Erika Murphy (Torrington, Conn.) poured in a collegiate-career high 29 points and hauled in a game-best 18 rebounds to help lift the Blazers to a convincing 63-47 victory over Newbury College in Saturday afternoon's New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) women's basketball game at Hellenic College.

With the win, Elms moves to 5-8 on the season, 3-1 in NECC action while Newbury falls to 6-8 overall, 4-2 in league play.

After playing to a 25-25 tie at intermission, Elms used a 10-1 run highlighted by three-pointers from freshman guards Emily Boucher (Ashburnham, Mass.) and Ellen Donohue (Southington, Conn.), a bucket underneath by sophomore guard Jen Normandie (Westford, Mass.) and a jumper by Boucher to post a 35-26 lead at the 17:21 mark of the second half.

A layup by Murphy and the ensuing free throw following a foul extended the Blazers' lead to 13 (45-32) with 11:41 left to play before the Nighthawks answered by scoring 11 of the next 15 points to pull to within six (49-43) with 6:50 to play in the contest. Morganna Machado (Attleboro, Mass.) swished a pair of treys, Ashley Monteiro (Cambridge, Mass.) added one from beyond the arc and Catherine O'Connell (Quincy, Mass.) hit a pair of free throws to ignite the rally.

Seven consecutive points by the Blazers including a pair of layups by Murphy and a layup and a free throw from Normandie pushed Elms' lead back to 13 points (56-43) with 4:39 on the clock and from there, the Blazers maintained at least an 11-point cushion en route to a 63-47 victory.

Murphy was sensational in the win, hitting on 12 of 25 from the field and hauling in 14 of her 18 rebounds on the defensive glass to post her seventh double-double of the season.

Normandie was 6 of 14 shooting from the floor and netted 13 points, while all nine of Donohue's points came from three-point range (3 of 5) in the winning effort.

Boucher and junior guard Katie Condon (Sandy Hook, Conn.) netted five points each, while Normandie dished out five assists and Murphy blocked four shots.

Monteiro was lethal from beyond the arc, draining five three-pointers and swishing 4 of 5 from the foul line to finish with a team-high 19 points while O'Connell and Machado netted nine points apiece.

O'Connell answered Murphy's call on the glass securing a team-high 16 boards including 12 on the defensive side and also blocked five shots.

Elms returns to NECC action Tuesday, Jan. 18 when it travels to Wheelock College for a 7:00 p.m. contest.