NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's basketball team dropped a 61-54 decision to Southern Vermont College on Saturday afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference action at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

Southern Vermont's Amber Flagg led all scorers with 17 points while Javasha White and Kala MacKenzie each recorded double-doubles. White finished with a season-high 13 points and game-high 14 rebounds while MacKenzie chipped in with 11 points and 10 boards. The win pushed the Mountaineers' record to 2-10 overall and 2-3 in the NECC.

Freshman Amanda Garcia led the Mariners (1-10 overall, 1-4 NECC) with a season-high 16 points that included a 12-for-12 effort at the charity stripe. She also pulled down 12 rebounds to record her second career double-double and had four steals. Senior Suzie Barbosa finished in double figures with 10 points while junior Kate Mulloy added a team-best 13 boards.

The Mountaineers started out slow, missing on their first 11 shot attempts from the floor. Mitchell couldn't take advantage, however, building just an 8-2 lead over the first seven minutes. MacKenzie finally gave SVC its first basket at the 12:48 mark to make it a four-point game, and the Mountaineers later tied it at 8-8 on a lay-up by White.

Mitchell went back ahead by three thanks to a triple from Barbosa, but Southern Vermont responded with a 13-0 run over the next 4:45 to jump in front for good. MacKenzie contributed five points during the stretch that left the Mountaineers holding a 21-11 lead with 6:21 to go in the half.

Mitchell outscored SVC 8-2 in the final 3:30 of the stanza to whittle the deficit to six at 29-23 heading into the intermission. MacKenzie had nine points and 10 rebounds at the break to lead all players in each category.

Southern Vermont scored the first seven points of the second half to quickly extend the lead to 13. Mitchell responded with the next six points, but Flagg righted the ship with a three-pointer to bring the lead back to double digits.

The Mariners shot just 17 percent in the second half and never really threatened, getting as close as six on a three by Barbosa in the game's final seconds. Southern Vermont shot 34 percent for the game while Mitchell checked in at 21 percent.

The Mountaineers benefitted from being in the bonus for the final eight minutes of the contest and shot 23-for-31 (74 percent) from the free throw line. All seven SVC players converted a free throw, led by a 9-for-10 effort from Flagg. Mitchell connected on 14 of 24 trips to the stripe (58 percent).

Mitchell will next play at Wheelock College on Tuesday, January 15 at 8 p.m. Southern Vermont returns to action at home against Lesley University on Tuesday at 4 p.m.