BOSTON, Mass. - The Emmanuel College Women's Basketball Team extended its undefeated conference run with an 83-55 victory over Norwich University on Saturday afternoon in the nightcap of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference men's and women's double-header played in the Jean Yawkey Center. Prior to the start of the game, the Saints celebrated the careers of the two seniors on the squad, Meghan Kirwan (Melrose, Mass.) and Breanna Ockimey (Philadelphia, Pa.). The duo led the way, combining for 32 points in the win.
After trailing by two at halftime, Emmanuel put together a 52-point second half and outscored the Cadets by thirty to come away with the commanding, 83-55 win. With the victory, the Saints boost their record to 17-6 on the season and a perfect 11-0 in GNAC play. Norwich drops to 10-14 overall and 5-7 in the league with the loss.
The Saints opened the game with a 12-4 run after a fastbreak layup by freshman forward Lena Negri (Arlington, Va.) at the fourteen-minute mark. A trifecta by sophomore guard Bria Tiro (Saugus, Mass.) stretched the Emmanuel lead to 19-6 with 12 minutes to play in the half.
Ockimey buried a three from the right wing to put the Saints up 25-11 with 9:10 to go in the half. A baseline jumper by Norwich guard Kelsey Lotti (South Yarmouth, Mass.) made it a ten-point game (25-15) with eight minutes left. Freshman guard Aliah Curry (Windsor, Mass.) knocked down her second jumper of the game to cut the Cadets' deficit to single digits. A steal and a layup by Lotti, followed by a pair of free throws by Jessalyn Sweeney (Standfordville, N.Y.) capped a 16-2 run by the visitors and set the score at 27-all.
A bucket by Ockimey briefly swung the advantage back to the hosts, before the Cadets tied it again at the other end. A hoop in the paint by Sweeney gave the Cadets their first lead of the game, 31-29, with 3:30 on the clock. A bucket from the stripe by Tiro sent the two teams into the locker room at halftime with Norwich up by two, 33-31.
Sweeney led all scorers at the break with 11 points and 8 rebounds. Lotti scored 8 first-half points for the Cadets. Emmanuel's seniors, Kirwan and Ockimey, led the way for the Saints in the first half with 8 points apiece. The Saints led the Cadets on the boards, 31-25, but Emmanuel sent Norwich to the free throw line 18 times in the opening frame.
Consecutive hoops by Kirwan opened the second half for the Saints and Emmanuel quickly regained the lead. A turn-around jumper in the paint by Negri extended the Saints' lead to seven at 41-34 with 15:10 to go. Fiona O'Dwyer (Stamford, Conn.) and Kirwan combined to score twice over the next minute and gave Emmanuel a 45-36 lead. A deep trey by Tiro and a hoop on the break by Vanessa Bramante (Stoneham, Mass.) stretched the EC lead to 52-38 at the ten-minute mark. Ockimey then re-entered the game and quickly drained a baseline three, making it a 57-38 game.
A post move and the bucket by O'Dwyer capped a 22-6 Emmanuel run, before Lotti scored for Norwich at the other end. Tiro poured in her third three of the game and Chenae Earle (South Orange, Conn.) dropped a runner, as Emmanuel went up by twenty, 64-44, with 6:42 left to play.
The Saints held on to their solid double-figure lead for the remainder of the contest and Emmanuel pulled away with the 83-55 win.
Kirwan led a balanced attack of five double-figure scorers for the Saints, netting 18 points off of 8 for 15 shooting. Ockimey and Negri finished with 14 points apiece, while O'Dwyer and Tiro chipped in with twelve points each. Negri led Emmanuel on the glass with 9 boards. O'Dwyer
Norwich was led by a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds from Sweeney. Lotti and Stevenson each added 11 points for the Cadets.
The Saints overpowered the Cadets on the glass, out-rebounding Norwich, 62-43. Emmanuel's defense forced Norwich into 25 turnovers and the Saints scored 30 points off the Cadet errors.
Emmanuel will play again on Tuesday night (2/14), when the Saints host the Monks of Saint Joseph's College (ME) in a 7:00 PM start. This game represents a battle for first place in the league, as both the Saints and the Monks are currently undefeated in conference play. The two teams will don pink warm-up shirts, as they host "Play for Kay" night in support of breast cancer awareness.