Women's Basketball Downed by New England College

HOLYOKE, Mass. - The Bay Path University women's basketball team fell to visiting New England College, 76-33, in a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) contest at the Bartley Center Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats dip to 1-9 on the season and 0-3 in conference action, while the Pilgrims improve to 4-0 in league play and 10-3 overall. 

New England College raced to a 13-3 lead to open the game behind five points from senior Rene Hudson (Gallatin, Tenn.). A pair of layups from sophomore Kayla Goldring (Hollywood, Md.) helped extend the Pilgrims advantage to 21-6 after the first quarter. 

Hudson netted eight straight points for New England College to push their lead to 29-8 with 7:27 left in the 2nd quarter. The Pilgrims outscored the Wildcats, 10-5, over the final seven minutes of the frame to take a 39-13 lead into the break. 

Layups from New England College sophomore Erika Pratt (Miami, Fla.) sandwiched a 13-7 run by the Pilgrims to push their lead to 52-17 at the 5:56 mark. New England College used a 10-0 run mid-way through the third quarter to hold a 65-22 lead heading into the final period. 

Bay Path junior Emmeline Bronson (Shelton, Conn.) and freshman Heaven Rodriguez (New Britain, Conn.) netted back-to-back three pointers to whittle the Pilgrims advantage to 68-29. New England College closed the game on an 8-4 run to capture the 76-33 victory. 

Bronson lead the Wildcats in scoring with a team-high 17 points, connecting on five three-pointers, with five rebounds. Rodriguez chipped in 10 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Sophomore Nyasia Reeves (Peekskill, N.Y.) added four points and three rebounds off the bench, while sophomore Aryanna Townsend (Windsor, Conn.) grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. 

New England College had 16 players register points in the win, led by a game-high 19 points from Hudson. Sophomore Mariah Thomas (Cypress, Texas) tallied eight points and five rebounds, while Pratt and sophomore Brianna Pierreval (Boynton Beach, Fla.) recorded six points apiece. Pilgrim freshman Rebekah Toussaint (Miramar, Fla.) snared a game-high nine rebounds. 

Bay Path connected on 19.6% (10-of-51) from the floor and 30% (6-of-20) from three-point range, while New England College shot 35.8% (29-of-81) from the field and 81% (17-of-21) from the foul line. The Pilgrims outrebounded the Wildcats, 68-27, during the contest. 

Bay Path will look to return to the win column when they host Elms College in NECC action at the Bartley Center Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. New England College hosts Easterne Nazarene in conference play Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.