Worcester, MA --- Tournament MVP Jen Ashton (Beverly, MA) tallied ten points, eight assists and eight steals to catapult Westfield State past host WPI 62-51 at the WPI Women's Basketball Holiday Classic Monday afternoon.  

The Owls are 8-4 on the season while WPI, who saw its three-game winning streak end, is now 6-4.  The match-up pitted the two teams that each won games on Sunday during the opening day of the prescheduled tournament. 

Senior guard Briana Kelly (Hamden, MA) scored the first five points of the game as the Owls jumped out to an early 5-0 lead.  A Kelly Morgan (Brookline, NH) jumper and a three from Dani Davis (East Granby, CT) helped the Engineers back into the match.  The teams traded leads seven times and stayed close for the remainder of the half that ended in a 27-27 deadlock.  Morgan led the Engineers in the first half tallying eight points while Davis pulled down 10 rebounds and pitched in five points.  

After an even first half, the Engineers never saw the lead again.  With 7:30 remaining, a jumper by senior Theresa Logan (Southboro, MA) got WPI within one, but the Owls went on a 16-2 run that stifled the Crimson and Gray and gave the visitors a 15-point lead, the largest of the game.  Ashton scored eight of her ten points during the run, while sophomore center Gabby Felix (Springfield, MA) added six of her game-high 16 during the Owls scoring burst. 

Angela Patterson (Nantucket, MA) was one of three Westfield State players to garner double digits, putting away 11 points, including draining 3-of-4 3-pointers.  Tayler Travis (Somerset, MA) pulled down six boards while Felix and Morissa Heilman (Three Rivers, MA) each hauled in five.  

Davis dominated the boards grabbing a game-high 11 boards, adding seven points, and two steals.  Morgan led the Engineers with 10 points, while freshman Lisa Mendez (Yonkers, NY) and junior Siena Mamayek (Melrose, MA) added eight apiece.  Logan drained two buckets and went 2-of-2 from the free throw line and Haili Welton (Southbury, CT) chipped in with six points.  

Joining Ashton and Logan on the All-Tournament team were Felix, Shantel Hanniford (Nantucket, MA) of Trinity and Jenna Juron (Burnt Hills, NY) from Johnson & Wales.  Earlier in the day Trinity defeated Johnson & Wales 68-64.   

The contest marked the final non-conference game of the season for WPI.  The Engineers, who are 2-2 in NEWMAC play, continue conference action on Saturday, hosting Coast Guard at 1pm.  Westfield State is back in action on Wednesday, entertaining Smith at 5:30pm in its final tune-up before MASCAC play commences.