WESTFIELD, Mass. –  Westfield State sophomore guard Bella Aitken (Pittsfield, Mass.) scored a career-high 26 points to lead Westfield State to a 88-55 win over Worcester State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball game in Worcester on Tuesday evening.

With the win, defending conference champ Westfield snaps a 10-game skid, improving to 4-10 overall and 1-1 in the MASCAC.   Worcester slips to 8-5, 0-1 in the league.

For Aitken, the return to Worcester's Brissette Court was a return to the scene of the crime where she hit several clutch three-pointers to help the Owls power past Worcester State in last season's MASCAC title game.  Aitken finished 9-13 shooting from the floor tonight to lead the way for the Owls.

Westfield spurted away midway through the first quarter. Trailing 8-5, the Owls embarked on a 17-2 run to close the quarter, capped by an Aitken three-pointer.   The carnage continued as Westfield forced turnover after turnover, extending the lead to as many as 24 points, at 40-16 on a pair of made free throws from Aitken, and the Owls led 44-20 at the half.

Westfield forced 24 Lancer turnovers in the first half alone.

Aitken scored 16 points in the first half on 5-7 shooting from the floor and 2-3 from downtown, to go with 4-4 at the foul line.

Westfield extended the lead to 75-38 by the end of the third quarter and were able to coast home.

Westfield senior point guard Chelsea Moussette (Southampton, Mass./Hampshire) played a strong all-around game, with 20 points, five assists and four steals.   Freshman guard Lauren Legere (Bedford, Mass.) added 11 points.

Senior forward Melissa Gray (Peabody, Mass.) netted 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Owls.  The junior forward now has 986 points in her career, and will have a chance to go over the 1,000-point mark when Westfield hosts Fitchburg State in a MASCAC game on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the Woodward Center.

The Owls forced 37 Lancer turnovers that Westfield converted into 37 points.   Westfield shot 47 percent from the floor and 37 percent  (10-27) from three-point range, while Worcester shot 35 percent from the floor and just 1-6 (16 percent) from three point range.

 The Lancers were led by 14 points from Elizabeth Gallella and 11 from Gigi LeMay.