CHESTNUT HILL, MA - The Wheelock College women's basketball team dropped a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) decision on Tuesday evening to Lesley University, which entered the night as one of two squads with a perfect league mark, by a 47-25 count at Pine Manor College's Brunelli Court. The Wildcats are now 3-12 overall and 2-6 in the NECC, while the Lynx improved to 8-7 and 8-0 behind their sixth straight victory.

Junior Kayla Drescher (Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan) posted nine points, six rebounds and a pair of steals for Wheelock, while sophomore Sarah McCaffrey (East Taunton, MA/Taunton) notched five points and five boards. Classmate Keneisha Milton (Boston, MA/Wayland) had four points, five boards and three steals, and junior Jo Gomes (Boston, MA/Newton Country Day School) collected four points and four caroms. Classmate Maya Spratling (Dorchester, MA/Cathedral) hauled in five boards, while senior Joy Holliday (Milford, MA/Milford) matched her career high with five steals and collected her 100th career assist.

Lesley shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half en route to a 41.9-percent showing for the game while also turning in an 11-of-16 free-throw performance. Senior Kaitlyn Wechsler (Merrick, NY/Our Lady of Mercy Academy) shot 10-for-14 to lead the visitors with 24 points, eight rebounds and three steals, while classmate Brianne Caira (Pelham, NH/Pelham) was 4-for-5 and notched 10 points, eight boards, three assists and a pair of blocks. Freshman Emily Fleming (Medford, MA/Matignon) posted seven helpers.

A Milton hoop brought Wheelock within two at the 17:49 mark of the opening half, but the Fleming assisted each of the Lynx's first five baskets to put her team on top 10-2 by 16:31. Caira and Wechsler combined for all of those points. Milton knocked down a free throw 24 seconds later before Lesley countered with a 14-0 run, with senior Rachael O'Mara (Levittown, NY/MacArthur) scoring seven of her team's points in that time.

The Wildcats ended the half on an 8-2 run, which including Drescher finding Gomes for a jumper at 2:55 and McCaffrey tallying the final five points, including knocking down a three-pointer off a Gomes kick-out. Wheelock trailed 26-11 at the intermission.

Lesley led by as many as 25 points late in the second half, when the teams combined for 35 points on 26.5-percent shooting to go along with 22 turnovers. A Drescher jumper at 18:15 made it a 15-point game, but the visitors scored seven of the next nine points to lead by 20.

Wheelock continues a four-game home stand on Saturday in an NECC contest against Mitchell College at 3:30 p.m.