BABSON PARK, Mass.—Sophomore Kristen Ferola (Amherst, Mass.) and first-year Giovanna Pickering (Hull, Mass.) each scored 12 points, and Babson College used a strong defensive effort to cruise past Mount Holyoke College, 67-42, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's basketball action at Staake Gymnasium on Tuesday night.
With its second consecutive win, Babson is now 4-7 overall and 4-3 in league play, while Mount Holyoke drops to 4-7 overall and 1-5 in conference action.
Ferola also grabbed six rebounds and tied for game-high honors with four assists, while fellow sophomore Linnett Graber (Roseland, N.J.) added 11 points, six boards, and three steals for the Beavers. Sophomore Megan Otto (Scituate, Mass.) scored eight points and pull down seven rebounds, first-year Jennifer Narlee (Medfield, Mass.) notched eight points to go along with a game-high four steals, while junior Lindsey Roche (Arlington, Mass.) and sophomore Marissa Cicchetti (Mansfield, Mass.) each dished out four assists.
Junior Kate Karraker (Morgantown, W.V.) led all scorers with 15 points for the Lyons. Classmate Nicole DeMarchena (Miami, Fla.) contributed eight points, and game-highs of 10 rebounds and six blocked shots on the night.
The Green and White got off to a fast start, using four points each from Narlee and Pickering, and making seven of its first 13 attempts from the field to build a 16-6 lead in the opening 5:40. Mount Holyoke got three points from Karraker as well as senior Jennine Vizcaino (New York, N.Y.), while holding the Beavers to just one field goal over the next 6:30 to pull within 19-12 at the 7:52 mark.
Babson responded with a 7-2 run to take its biggest lead of the opening half, 26-14, with 4:10 left, but led only 29-21 at the break after missing six of its final seven field goal attempts.
The Beavers quickly pushed their lead back to double digits out of the locker room, taking advantage of four straight Mount Holyoke turnovers. Graber knocked down one-of-two free throws, got a pair of layups in transition, and Ferola buried a three-pointer to make it 37-21 just 2:31 into the period. The Lyons got back within 39-29 thanks to two free throws from junior Amber Legare (Chicoppe, Mass.) at the 14:27 mark, but would get no closer as Babson ripped off a 20-6 spurt to put the game away.
Pickering and Otto combined for 10 points during the run and the Green and White held Mount Holyoke to just one field goal over the next 10:10, building a 59-35 lead with 5:17 to go. Babson held the visitors, who shot 33.3 percent (12-for-36), to just five field goals after halftime.
The Beavers shot 36.4 percent (28-for-77) on the night and held a 48-30 edge on the glass. Babson also outscored the Lyons 34-12 in the paint and turned 30 Mount Holyoke turnovers into 32 points.
GAME NOTES: The Beavers are now 31-7 all-time against Mount Holyoke and have won 11 straight games in the series dating back to 2008…Babson has won three straight games against NEWMAC opponents, and have held its last five conference-foes to 43 points or less…The Beavers lead the NEWMAC in scoring defense, holding conference opponents to just 48.1 points per game.