Worcester, MA --- Suffolk senior Jacqueline Vienneau (Salem, NH) turned in a solid all-around performance collecting 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a trio of steals en route to a 56-47 non-conference win over Worcester State this afternoon at the Lancer Gymnasium.
The Lancers hosted their fifth annual "Math Madness" event where nearly 400 elementary and middle school students from the May Street School, the Chandler Magnet School and the Forest Grove Middle School filled the gymnasium and enriched their mathematics skills through basketball.
The Rams (8-4) were also paced by junior Jennifer Ruys (Wallingford, CT) who chipped in with a team-high 15 points while grabbing six boards. Second-year Iliana Quadri (Sudbury, MA) added eight points and eight caroms.
Sophomore Julie Frankian (Millbury, MA) led the Blue and Gold with campaign-best 18 points to lead all scorers while junior Meaghan Burns (W. Brookfield, MA) added 13 points to go along with four swipes.
Senior Meaghan O'Keefe (Warren, MA) corralled a game-high 11 boards in the setback for WSU.
With Suffolk maintaining the 32-22 advantage early on in the second half, the Lancers were able to cut into the deficit with an 8-3 run after Frankian nailed a pair of free throws for the 35-30 score at the 15:20 mark.
The Rams then went on a 12-4 spurt over the next seven minutes to open up their largest lead of the contest, 48-34, on the back end of a Quadri lay-up with 8:16 left in regulation.
In the final six minutes of play, the Lancers chipped away and got the score within eight on four occasions. But the visitors maintained their cushion and earned the hard-fought road win.
Midway through the opening stanza the Blue and Gold held the early 12-11 advantage, but the Rams utilized a 12-2 surge that gave the squad a 23-14 edge they would not relinquish with 5:33 remaining.
While WSU did get within six on the front end of a bonus free throw attempt by freshman Natasha Gonzalez (Milford, MA), Suffolk went into double-digits and led 30-20 at the intermission.
Both squads posted modest shooting percentages as Suffolk hit 37 percent for the contest (19-for-52), while the Lancers did not have a good day from beyond the arc (2-for-13 – 15 percent).
The visitors also control the backboards (36-30) while the Rams used 14 steals to create 22 turnovers and earn the edge in points off turnovers (20-10).
Both squads return to action on Saturday. Worcester State jumps right back into MASCAC play as they host MCLA for a 3 PM affair and Suffolk returns home to face-off against St. Joseph's (CT) at 1 PM.