For Immediate Release
December 1, 2007
Wellesley Sports Information
Wellesley College Basketball Downs Emerson
Box Score
WELLESLEY, MA – Wellesley College junior Jessica Duff (Milton, Abingdon, UK) had 19 rebounds en route to her third double-double of the season, as the Blue downed Emerson College 50-48 on Saturday afternoon in Wellesley.
In the first half, Wellesley took a 6-3 lead at the 18-minute mark off of three points each from Duff and Courtney Richter (Sinking Spring, PA). A defensive battle, neither team managed a point over the next seven minutes until Wellesley’s Nicole Labbee (Florence, MA) hit a free throw to push the Blue lead to 7-3.
With six minutes to play, Emerson’s Lauren Vassallo converted a three-point play to tie the game at 13-13. Vassallo’s three points sparked a 10-0 run for the Lions as Emerson went ahead 20-13 with just over two minutes to play in the second half.
With 1:46 left in the half, Wellesley’s Courtney Pelley (Leicester, MA) hit a three-pointer followed by a lay-up to even the score at 20-20. However, the Lions scored the next two baskets to take a 24-20 lead into the locker room.
In the second half, the Blue took a 29-28 lead when Richter hit a three with 17:10 left in the game. The Lions went back on top 30-29 when Becky Everett (Orange, MA) picked up two points. After Everett’s basketball, Wellesley scored nine unanswered points over the next five minutes to take a 38-30 lead with 12 minutes to play.
The Lions put together a run of their own and with eight minutes to play, a Lindsay DeStefano (Glocester, RI) lay-up cut the Wellesley lead to 42-41. DeStefano followed it up with a three-pointer that gave Emerson a 44-42 lead with 5:48 on the clock.
Down 48-46 with just over a minute to play, Wellesley’s Katie Martore (Great Falls, VA) got the Blue one point closer after hitting a free-throw. On the next possession, Wellesley forced an Emerson turnover to regain control of the ball with 52 seconds left in the game. With Wellesley in control, Martore got the ball inside to Julia Thomas (Concord, CA) who was fouled and converted both free throws to give the Blue a 49-48 lead with 32 seconds left in the game.
Following another Emerson turnover, the Lions were forced to foul. Martore once again hit one of two shots and Wellesley took a 50-48 lead with nine-seconds left to play. After the Lions missed a three-pointer with five seconds on the clock, a Wellesley foul on the in-bounds play gave Emerson one last chance. However, the Lions were unable to hit a last-ditch jumper and Wellesley got the 50-48 win.
For Emerson, Vassallo recorded a double-double with 15 points and 14 boards. DeStefano and Bri Papa (Syracuse, NY) each chipped in with 10 points while Maude Okrah (Rutland, MA) amassed 14 rebounds.
For Wellesley, Duff finished with 15 points and 19 rebounds while Richter also recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Thomas finished with 10 points while Martore added nine in the win.
The Lions (2-2) are back in action on Tuesday with a 5:30 start at UMass-Boston. Wellesley (2-3) is also in action on Tuesday, when the Blue host Albertus Magnus at 7:00pm.