WESTFIELD, Mass. -- Sophomore Libby Harris scored 13 points and first-year Emma Goff added 10 points and eight rebounds, but the Mount Holyoke College basketball team didn't have enough firepower to keep up with Westfield State University on Tuesday night as the host Owls defeated the Lyons 106-48.
Mount Holyoke (0-5) outrebounded its opponent for the fourth straight game, 46-42, and had a season-best performace at the free-throw line, making 12-13. But turnovers (a 45-14 advantage for Westfield State), and a 60-11 difference in bench points hurt the Lyons' cause.
Westfield State forward Jordan Grant posted a game-high 17 points and 12 different Owls got in the scoring column as part of a 106-48 victory over Mount Holyoke College in a non-conference game from the Woodward Center in Westfield, Mass. on Tuesday night.
The Owls forced 16 first-quarter turnovers which resulted in a 22-point first period lead. Grant led the charge in the opening frame, leading the team with seven points while fronting the Owls press with three steals.
Westfield continued to extend the lead in the second quarter, opening the period on an 9-2 run with Jess Gardner jumpstarting the scoring burst with a triple, then layups from Grant, Morgan Berthiaume, and Tavi Williams pushed the Owls out to a 37-9 lead with 5:58 to play in the half.
The Owls outscored the Lyons by seven points in the second quarter, taking a sizeable 29-point lead into halftime.
Mount Holyoke opened the second half with terrific energy, with Goff (Cohasset, Mass.) and Harris (Foxborough, Mass.) combining for 15 of the Lyons' 21 points in the quarter, their most efficient shooting period of the night as a unit. However, the Westfield offense continued to strike as the Owls connected on 11 of 18 field goal attempts (61.1%) in the fourth quarter to extend their lead.
Hannah Sheldon totaled a season-high 15 points, Berthiaume added 14 points and piled up seven steals, and Jordyn Lummus contributed 14 point.
Harris led Mount Holyoke in scoring in double figures for the third straight game. Senior Teal Howle (Florence, S.C.) added eight points for Mount Holyoke, and sophomore Kendall Maurer (Orinda, Calif.) had eight rebounds and four assists.
Mount Holyoke College will travel to Elms College next Tuesday, November 28 for a 7pm tipoff.
