SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. -- Chelsea Gibbons posted 18 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to lead Emerson College to a wire-to-wire 69-47 victory at Mount Holyoke College in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opener for both teams on Saturday.
Gibbons shot 3-for-3 from behind the arc and 6-9 from the floor en route to the only double-digit scoring game for the visiting Lions (5-10, 1-0 NEWMAC). Olivia Deslauriers and Devin Hill added nine points apiece and Mackenzie Bruno posted seven points and six rebounds from off the bench.
Mount Holyoke (2-14, 0-1 NEWMAC) first-year Kendall Maurer (Orinda, Calif.) made her first start and led the Lyons in scoring for the second straight game with 14 points. Maurer shot 4-7 from behind the arc and added four rebounds and a game-high five steals. Sophomore Cal McGonagle (Yarmouth, Maine) recorded her third double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Gibbons sank a three in the game's opening minute and Carla Pelino followed with a layup to give Emerson a lead it never relinquished. Two buckets by Maurer had Mount Holyoke within three points (12-9) before a three by Deslauriers. Mackenzie Bruno drew a foul with one second left in the quarter and hit both of her free throws for a 17-11 lead at the first break.
Emerson extended its lead into double digits early in the second quarter with a pair of free throws by Devin Hill and a layup by Bruno. Emerson's run lengthened to 19-6 over a span of eight minutes, with a jump shot by Ella Bushee making it 34-15 with 3:27 left in the half. Mount Holyoke outscored Emerson 6-5 in the final minute of the half, with a pair of threes by Maurer answering a layup by Gibbons and a three by Ava Salti to keep the Lyons within 15 points (41-26) at intermission.
Rather than allow Mount Holyoke to cut further into its lead, Emerson outscored the hosts 18-8 in the third quarter for a 59-34 advantage, as Mount Holyoke shot 2-10 in the period and committed eight of its 24 turnovers in the game.
Mount Holyoke outscored Emerson 13-10 in the fourth quarter, getting seven points from McGonagle, but it wasn't enough to threaten Emerson's lead.
Mount Holyoke outrebounded Emerson 41-35, but the Lions significantly outshot the Lyons from the floor (.431 to .279) and from three-point territory (.429 to .273), and had a 24-17 advantage in turnovers committed.
Mount Holyoke will next play at Wellesley in another NEWMAC Wednesday at 7pm. Emerson plays a non-conference game at New England College Monday at 5pm.
