WESTFIELD, Mass. – Senior center Jen Wehner (Cooperstown, NY) had game highs of 21 points and 13 rebounds and senior guard Alie Dobrovolc (Little Falls, NY) nearly posted a triple-double with 19 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists to rally MCLA to a 72-70 comeback victory over Westfield State University on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
 
MCLA, which swept the regular season series, is now 12-10 overall and 5-4 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC). Westfield falls to 11-12 and 4-6.
 
MCLA jumped out to an early 10-4 lead in the exciting game between the Western Mass. rivals, but sparked by freshman guard Jen Ashton's (Beverly) 16 first-half points Westfield led at the intermission, 33-29.
 
The Owls built their lead to 12 points, 48-36, on a pair of free throws by junior guard Jenny Bell (Northampton) with 12:58 remaining. But the Trailblazers quickly got back into the game, scoring six straight points to trail 48-42 at the 12:19 mark. MCLA junior guard Lucy Tremblay (East Greenbush, NY), who scored 19 key points, drained one of her four 3-point baskets to cut the deficit to nine. Wehner, who scored 17 of her 21 points in the second half, followed with a layup.
 
Westfield's biggest lead the remainder of the game was nine points, 51-42, on a jumper by junior guard Courtney Kegresse (Adams/Hoosac Valley) with 11:44 remaining.
 
Following two Ashton free throws, the Owls led by five points, 61-56, with 3:58 remaining when a series of key plays unfolded. Ashton was called for a questionable foul – her fourth personal - in the MCLA frontcourt as she and the Trailblazers' Olivia McMullen were going after a loose ball at the 3:43 mark. McMullen canned a free throw to make it 61-57.
 
Ashton then exited the game 16 seconds later as she was whistled for her fifth personal foul on a charging call.
 
The opportunistic Trailblazers went on a 12-0 run to take a 68-61 lead with 53 seconds remaining. Wehner keyed the critical run with seven points and Tremblay made a 3-point basket.
 
Westfield did not fold, however, and closed to within three points several times. Kegresse drained a pair of free throws and Bell made a layup for a 68-65 score with 34 seconds remaining.  Tremblay put the lead back to five with a layup at the 26-second mark then Bell converted another layup with 16 seconds remaining.
 
Tremblay made two free throws with 10 seconds remaining for a 72-67 count and Kegresse canned a 3-pointer with a second remaining.
 
In addition to nearly posting a triple-double, Doborovolc moved closer to the magic milestone of 1,000 career points; she now has 996 points.
 
Ashton had another fine all around game with 20 points, seven steals, six assists and six rebounds. She ranks fifth nationally in the NCAA Division III in steals per game (4.7).
 
Scoring 12 points apiece for Westfield were Kegresse, Bell and freshman center Gabby Felix (Springfield/Commerce), who also fouled out late in the game. Felix had a team-high seven rebounds. Senior point guard Janae Jones had nine points and eight assists.