Basketball Shuts Down Coast Guard, 47-36

Game Statistics

NEW LONDON, Conn. (Jan. 21, 2009) – Led by junior center Kate Shafir and first year forward Tricia Chase, the Mount Holyoke College women’s basketball team downed the Coast Guard Academy 47-36 this evening. It was the Lyons first win over a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) foe this season.

Shafir recorded a career best 16 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor to pace Mount Holyoke, which made 34.5% (20-58) of its attempts from the field. The Lyons collected 14 offensive rebounds en route to a 43-32 edge on the glass. Chase pulled down a season high 15 boards, including seven on the offensive end. The guests also received a boost from first year guard Christine Chancy, who finished with 11 points.

Coast Guard was limited to a season low 24.4% (11-45) shooting from the floor, including 11.8% (2-17) from beyond the arc. The Bears committed 20 turnovers. They were paced by junior forward Melissa Martinelli, who accounted for half of her team’s points. She tallied 18 points and six rebounds, while classmate Carin Sweeney added a team high nine rebounds.

The Bears (1-12, 1-4 NEWMAC) scored the first six points of the contest and led 9-2 at the 15:59 mark of the opening frame. Mount Holyoke registered the next six points to slice the deficit to 9-8. A jumper by Shafir with 3:40 remaining in the first half gave the Lyons a 20-19 edge. They enjoyed a 23-21 edge at the break. Shafir led all scorers with ten points before the intermission.

Mount Holyoke’s defense took over in the second stanza, limiting the Bears to just 15 points on 4-of-22 shooting. With the game knotted up at 23-23 in the early stages of the frame, the Lyons rallied for the next eight points to gain control. Chase and Shafir each netted four points during the spurt. They visitors led by as many as 13 points in the waning minutes. Ten of Chase’s 15 rebounds came in the second half.

Mount Holyoke (4-12, 1-3 NEWMAC) will return to action on Saturday, when it hosts the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a league tilt beginning at 2:00 p.m.