Middlebury, Vt. - January 18, 2022 - The Springfield College women's basketball program wrapped up non-conference play with a gutsy 69-56 win over Middlebury College on the road on Tuesday evening.

Springfield, are ranked No. 10 in the most recent Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) National Coaches' Poll and No. 15 in the D3hoops.com National Top 25 Poll, are now the first program in Division III women's basketball to reach 15 wins this season. The Pride are now a perfect 15-0. Middlebury evens out at 7-7. Springfield outrebounded the Panthers, 45-30, were 44.6 percent from the field on 25-of-56 shooting. 

Grace Dzindolet (Holliston, Mass.) scored a career-high 23 points on 8-of-14 from the floor to lead all scorers. Sam Hourihan (Bridgewater, Mass.) contributed 13 points and seven rebounds, while Angela Czeremcha (West Springfield, Mass.) provided a strong effort off the bench with 10 points and six rebounds. Riley Robinson (Adams, Mass.) was tremendous in 22 minutes of action for the Pride in the victory. 

Reagan McDonald scored a team-high 17 points for the Panthers, while Gianna Palli pitched in 12 points. Middlebury was 22-of-62 from the floor for a 35.5 shooting percentage in the loss. 

The Pride earned a 10-6 through three minutes of play in the first quarter as Dzindolet stuck her second jumper of the frame at the 6:16 mark, however the Panthers chipped away at the early lead and gained a 12-10 lead after Palli converted on a drive to the basket at the 3:55. Springfield regained the lead with 3:07 to go as Rachel Vinton (Rutland, Mass.) dished it ahead to Stephanie Lyons (Boston, Mass.) for the basket and made the lead 14-12. Middlebury capped off the quarter with a pair of layins to take a 16-14 lead heading into the second quarter. 

After going down 17-14, the Pride ripped off a 14-2 run sparked by the strong play of Czeremcha, who capped off the run with a step back jumper at 4:31 and gave Springfield a 28-19 lead. At 2:39, Czeremcha got in the lane and turned around a hook shot to give the Pride a 30-23 edge, however, Alexa Mustafaj scored through contact with 1:58 remaining to make the score 30-26 at the break. 

Throughout the third quarter, neither team was able to take more than a three-point lead as each team traded baskets. With 2:23 to play in the third, Palli ripped away the ball and finished on the break to give the hosts' a 43-40 lead, however, two possessions later Hourihan knocked a jumper to put the Pride within one. Hourihan would hit a pair of free throws with 1:12 to go to give Springfield a 44-43 edge. After a Bethany Lucey jumper put the Panthers ahead 45-44, the Pride came down and tossed it to Czeremcha in the mid post, who finished with the left hand and gave the Pride the 46-45 lead with one quarter to play. 

Palli drilled a three for the Panthers with 8:54 to go to regain a 48-46 lead, however, Dzindolet walked into a three on the next possesion to go back ahead 49-48. With 7:18 remaining, Mustafaj came down looking to cut into the Pride's three-point lead, but Robinson slid in to draw a crucial offensive foul on Mustafaj and forced the turnover. That play swung the momentum in Springfield's favor as the Pride went on a 10-2 run to push its lead to 61-52 with 1:50 remaining in the contest. Despite a three from the Panthers and an effort to extend the game with fouls, the Pride converted from the free throw line and were able to take home the 69-56 win to remain undefeated. 

No.10/15 Springfield will shift focus to Wellesley on Saturday at 3:00.