SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. -- The Mount Holyoke College basketball team defeated Gordon College 70-64 on Thursday evening in Mildred S. Howard Gymnasium, winning its second straight game for the first time since 2016 with its best scoring effort in nearly 10 years.
First-year point guard Ania McMichael (Glastonbury, Conn.) made an enormous impact in her first basketball game with the Lyons, as she returned to action from injury. McMichael poured in a team-high 16 points in addition to eight assists, five rebounds and four steals. With McMichael pushing the action and keeping Gordon on its heels defensively, Mount Holyoke scored its most points since a 70-54 win over the University of St. Joseph on Jan. 10, 2015.
"Ania made a huge difference," said junior Alex Twomey (Nutley, N.J.). "She's quick, she's fast, she makes shots; we love to see her out there. She shares the ball well and makes it easier on the rest of us. She makes a huge difference."
Twomey submitted an outstanding game as well, scoring 12 points to go with eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals. Twomey's three-point play gave Mount Holyoke a 44-40 lead with 3:34 to go in the third quarter, and the Lyons maintained a cushion of at least four points the rest of the way.
"We played Mount Holyoke basketball. We know what we can do, and we went out there and performed and kept our energy," said Twomey. "We started off well and kept it up the whole time."
Ami Rivera led Gordon (3-7) with 23 points and 13 rebounds, including 8-of-8 shooting at the free throw line. Naomi Nicholson added 14 points, four assists and six rebounds.
The Fighting Scots, who average 9.3 3-pointers made per game, were held to their second-lowest three-point shooting performance of the season, at 7-35 (.200). Mount Holyoke shot 5-17 (.294) from three-point territory and outshot the Fighting Scots from the field, .397 to .303.
Gordon never led after the first three minutes of the game, even though the Fighting Scots kept it close nearly throughout. Mount Holyoke led for good when sophomore Hannah Goen (New London, N.H.) broke a 32-32 tie by sinking a three with 6:14 remaining in the third quarter.
Twomey and McMichael both went 2-for-2 in trips to the foul line in the final minute of the third quarter, giving the Lyons a 51-43 lead. A 3-pointer by sophomore Emma Zoubok (Somers, N.Y.), the last of her three makes from long distance, followed by a Goen jumper gave Mount Holyoke its largest lead of the game at 56-43 with 7:20 remaining.
Goen finished with 12 points, and first-year Helena Robinson (Gales Ferry, Conn.) added 10 points with eight rebounds and two blocks.
Mount Holyoke stays at home to host Bard College on Saturday at 2pm.
