DUDLEY, Mass. – The Nichols College women's basketball team earned their first Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) victory of the season with a 59-51 win over Gordon College on Saturday afternoon at the Nichols Athletic Center in Dudley, Mass.
 
The Bison outscored the Fighting Scots 18-8 in the final period to pull away for the victory, using a 10-2 run over the final 4:28 of regulation in the win.
 
Sophomore Jessica Larsh scored a career-best 16 points to go with six rebounds and two steals to lead the Bison. Junior Amy Assad posted her second-straight double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds as well as two blocks, while seniors Allison Cerratoand Brooke Packard netted nine points apiece. Cerrato added five rebounds, while Packard corralled six steals.
 
Gordon was led by 10 points, five rebounds and two assists from sophomore Meghan Foley, while freshman Abby Vampatella added eight points, 13 rebounds and a pair of steals. Junior Olivia Stark came off the bench to score eight points of her own, with sophomore Sarah Gibbs registering six points, seven rebounds, and three steals.
 
The Bison shot 17-of-53 (32.1%) in the game, connecting on 3-of-12 (25%) of their triples and 22-of-26 (84.6%) of their free throws. Gordon could only muster 27.4% (17-of-62) from the field, but connected on 9-of-23 (39.1%) three-pointers and 8-of-14 (57.1%) of its free throws. The Fighting Scots held a 49-39 advantage in rebounding, but committed 22 turnovers to just 17 for the Bison.
 
Nichols used a 9-0 run midway through the first quarter to grab a 14-5 lead with 3:17 remaining in the opening period, and they eventually took a 19-12 advantage into the second quarter. After a pair of Larsh free throws pushed the lead back to 21-12, the Fighting Scots rattled off a 7-0 run capped by a triple from Stark to make it a 21-19 game and 6:07 remaining in the half.
 
Two more Larsh free throws pushed the lead back to 25-21 nearly two minutes later, but another 7-0 run by Gordon put the Fighting Scots back in front at 28-25. Packard ended the run with a jumper to make it a 28-27 game at the break.
 
The teams traded baskets to open the third quarter, and Gordon took a 34-32 lead with 4:56 remaining on a triple from Foley. Larsh answered with a jumper, and after two free throws from junior Mekaela Fithian-Giantonio kept it a one-point game at 37-36, Gordon scored five-straight points to take its largest lead of the game at 42-36 with 1:39 to play.
 
A three-pointer from Larsh in the final minute of the quarter got the Bison back to within one possession at 43-41 headed into the fourth stanza.
 
Vampatella opened the quarter with a three-pointer to put Gordon back in front 46-41, but Amy Assad quickly erased the deficit with a personal 5-0 run to knot the game at 46-all. Gordon took the lead back on two Gibbs free throws, but a three-point play from Brooke Packard gave the Bison the lead back at 49-48 and 7:18 to play.
 
Senior Jenna Olson tied the game at 49-49 with a free throw and 4:28 remaining, and this time the Bison answered with a run, scoring 10-straight points to pull away for the 59-49 advantage and only 1:17 remaining. Larsh scored four points in the run, with Packard, Cerrato, and Fithian-Giantonio also registering points. Gordon's Foley would score a layup in the closing seconds to give the game its final score, 59-51.
 
All-Time Series
Saturday marked the 45th meeting between the two programs, and the Fighting Scots lead the series 24-21. The Nichols win snapped a three-game losing skid to the Fighting Scots dating back to February of 2016.
 
Next Games
Nichols (2-2, 1-1 CCC) – Tuesday, Dec. 5 at Roger Williams, 5:30 p.m.
Gordon (2-4, 0-2 CCC) – Tuesday, Dec. 5 vs. Curry, 7:30 p.m.