Dutchess County, N.Y. - November 16, 2019 - Powered by 19 points from senior guard Katlyn Grover (Bernardston, Mass.), the Mount Holyoke College basketball team picked up their first win of the 2019-20 season as the Lyons defeated Bay Path University, 59-51, at the Bard Tip-Off Classic on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, Mount Holyoke College is now 1-2 on the year while the Wildcats drop to 0-3 on the year. The Lyons shot 22-of-64 (34.4%) from the field in the victory, while Mount Holyoke College's defensive effort force Bay Path to shooting just 17-of-61 (27.9%) on the afternoon. The Lyons also assisted on 16 of its 22 field goals over 40 minutes of play, and produced eight steals leading to 16 points off of turnovers.
Along with 19 points from Grover, the senior also added six assists and five rebounds, while junior forward Annika Brooks (Portland, Maine) notched 12 points and nine rebounds in the victory. Mikayla McEwen (South Hadley, Mass.) also pulled down nine rebounds in 32 minutes of action, while Kyra Sanborn-Burch (Tariffville, Conn.) notched seven points in the win.
Bay Path jumped out to an early 6-2 lead in the first 2:34 before Grover drilled a three-pointer at the 4:15 mark of the frame to pull the Lyons even at six apiece. Grover would assist on a lay-up for Brooks with 45 seconds left in the stanza to give Mount Holyoke College a 10-8 lead, a margin in which the Lyons would take to the second quarter.
The Wildcats opened a 20-12 lead over Mount Holyoke College scoring 12 points in the first 2:35 of the second quarter, but the Lyons responded and came to within three following a three-pointer from Olivia Aries (Brewster, N.Y.) to make it 22-19, Wildcats, with 3:41 to play in the first half. Grover converted another three-pointer with 1:44 on the clock to give Mount Holyoke College a 25-24 lead, but Bay Path would answer with three points of their own to take a 27-25 lead into the halftime break.
The Lyons wrestled back the lead in the early stages of the third quarter when Grover hit a jumper to make it 30-27 just 53 seconds into the stanza, before a three-pointer from McEwen made it 36-30, Mount Holyoke College, with 7:45 on the clock. McEwen's triple kicked off a 12-0 run for the Lyons, which was capped by a good jumper from Grover with 15 seconds remaining in the frame, giving Mount Holyoke College a 48-30 advantage. The Wildcats would end the run with a lay-up as time expired in the third quarter, but the Lyons would enter the fourth quarter with a comfortable 16-point lead.
Bay Path pulled to within eight points with 6:26 on the clock, but back-to-back jumpers from Brooks made it 54-44 with 4:50 to play. A pair of free throws from the Wildcats made it a six-point game with 3:16 to go, but Brooks converted another jumper with 2:19 on the clock, followed by another with 1:24 to play, making it 58-48. Bay Path once again made it a seven-point game, but a free throw from Ellie Hayward (Westmoreland, N.H.) with two seconds remaining sealed the 59-51 win.
The Lyons will be back in action on Sunday, November 17 as Mount Holyoke College will square off with Bard College at 1 p.m.
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