SOUTH HADLEY, MASS. – Double-digit efforts off the bench from junior guard Maude Gull and first year Emma Kelley, led the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to a 63-24 victory over Mount Holyoke College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) basketball action Saturday afternoon. The Engineers improve to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in conference, while MHC is now 0-5 overall and 0-2 in the NEWMAC.
In addition to 11 points, Kelley (Andover, Mass./Phillips Academy Andover) also grabbed eight boards and recorded two steals, while Gull (Zurich, Switzerland/Notre Dame (Calif.)) posted 12 points and four steals. Junior guard Kristen Ngan (Sudbury, Mass./Lincoln Sudbury) filled the box score with seven points, two rebounds, two assists, five steals, and two blocks. First year Kylie Gallagher (Upton, Mass./Nipmuc Regional) pulled down a game-high 10 boards, three being offensive. As a team, the Engineers outrebounded the Lyons, 43-32.
For the Lyons, first year guard Raquel Fitzpatrick (Providence, R.I./Providence Country Day School) led the squad with nine points and six rebounds. She also posted three steals and an assist. Sophomore guard Katlyn Grover also had a strong game with eight points, including a 3-3 clip from the free throw line. First year Ireland Clare Kennedy (Oakland, Calif./Holy Names) posted four points and three rebounds, while senior Kate Rawson (Old Town, Maine/Old Town) recorded three points and a team-high seven boards off the bench. As a team, the Lyons outshot MIT, 11-7 from the free throw line.
In the first quarter, the Engineers jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead before Kennedy knocked down a jumper off of an assist from junior guard Leah Hodges (New Haven, Conn./Kolbe Cathedral) to make it 4-2. MIT countered with a 7-0 run, but Fitzpatrick capitalized on an and-one opportunity to cut the deficit to 11-5. The Lyons held the Engineers scoreless for almost three-straight minutes before first year Jocelyn Luizzi (Colchester, Conn./Bacon Academy) knocked down a jumper to take a 13-5 advantage. With under a minute to go in the first, Fitzpatrick drove and dished to Rawson, who connected on a mid-range jumper for her first points of the season. MIT's Ngan knocked down a jumper of her own to end the quarter, 15-7.
The Engineers started the second quarter fast with four quick points from junior guard Kara Holinski (Luvonia, Mich./Marian) and Luizzi to take a 19-7 advantage. Fitzpatrick sunk her second and third free throws of the game to cut it back down to single-digits, before MIT went on a quick 7-0 run to make it 26-9. The Lyons drained three consecutive free throws to cut the lead down to 26-12, but the Engineers took back momentum with a three from Gull with four minutes left in the half. Both teams turned up the defense, holding each other scoreless for just under a three minute stretch before MIT ended the half on an 8-0 run to take a 37-13 lead.
After a strong effort from the Engineers in the third, MIT headed into the final frame with a 49-13 lead. Grover opened up the fourth quarter knocking down all three free throws after being fouled from beyond the arc. Grover scored again off of an assist from Hodges, bringing the score to 56-18. After Maude hit a three for MIT at the 4:29 mark, a free throw from Rawson ignited a 6-4 run culminated by a jumper from Fitzpatrick with 1:34 left in the game. Despite the momentum from the home team, MIT regained possession, running the clock out to cement the win.
Both squads are back in NEWMAC action on Wednesday as Mount Holyoke travels to Springfield (7pm), while MIT is at Emerson (5:30pm).
