NEW LONDON, Conn. –  Freshman Gill Gerton had a career-high tying 16 points leading Coast Guard to its season-long fifth straight win, 74-61 over Mount Holyoke in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) game.

The Bears improve to 12-7 overall and 7-4 in the NEWMAC while Mount Holyoke drops to 6-14 overall and 3-8 in the conference.

Junior Meghan Fornaro finished with 15 points, senior Leigha Steinbeck added 12 points, senior Alexi Howland had 10 points while junior Torie Sutherland had eight points and a game-high 12 rebounds in the win.

Senior Amber Legare led Mount Holyoke with a game-high 25 points to go with a team-high nine rebounds while classmate Kate Karraker finished with 21 points for the Lyons.

Coast Guard led 44-31 with 15:49 remaining before the Lyons scored nine straight making the score 44-40 following a pair of free throws by junior Genelle Green with 13:25 left in the game.

The Bears however regained control scoring nine of the next ten points, five by Fornaro, and Coast Guard led 53-41 with 10:47 left and never looked back.

Karraker's third 3-pointer of the game gave the Lyons an 18-13 lead with 11:14 left in the first half, but Mount Holyoke would manage just two field goals the rest of the half as Coast Guard outscored them 24-6 to take a 37-24 lead to halftime.

Coast Guard took the lead for good 19-18 a 3-pointer by Steinbeck with 10:07 left in the half. The trey was part of a 10-0 run that started the 24-6 run to end the half.

The Lyons trailed 26-22 with 3:42 left following a basket by senior Nicole DeMarchena before the Bears ran off 11 straight for a 37-22 lead.

Coast Guard shot 37.8 percent from the floor (28 of 74) while making 7 of 28 from behind the arc. The Lyons were 20 for 44 from the field (45.5 percent) and made 7 of 15 from 3-point range.

The Bears are back in action on Saturday when they travel to first place Babson for a 1 p.m. game. Mount Holyoke hosts Wheaton, also on Saturday at 1pm.

Release courtesy of Coast Guard Sports Information.