Women's Hoops Nipped in Overtime at New England College

Henniker, N.H. (01/08/2013) – The Lasell College women's basketball team dropped an overtime matchup at New England College, 68-67. New England College forward Shauntaye Pumphret hit a foul shot with just one second remaining in overtime lifting the Pilgrims past the visiting Lasers. The win improved the Pilgrims to 11-2 overall, while the loss drops the Lasers to 5-6 on the season.

Lasell's Alexis Chappell (Springfield, Mass.) finished with a team-high 22 points and nine rebounds. Danielle Autencio (Montville, Conn.) finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Deanna Barrett (Berlin, Conn.) chipped in 11 points for the Lasers.

Leading the way for NEC was Kayla Lawlor (Cocoa Beach, Fla.) who finished with a game-high 25 points. NEC's Katrina Muska recorded a double-double finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Taylor Burgess (Randallstown, Md.) finished with 15 point and eight rebounds.

The two teams would battle evenly through much of the opening half which saw five ties and two lead changes.  The Pilgrims would grab a seven point lead with three minutes remaining in the first and hit two foul shots late to head into intermission with the 31-24 lead.

NEC would lead by as many as 15 points in the second half before Lasell would use a an 11-0 run to cut the lead to 46-42 with eight minutes remaining in regulation.  The Lasers would grab their first lead of the game in the final two minutes and go up three with 30 seconds remaining on the clock.  NEC's Kayla Lawlor responded by hitting a three-pointer with 26 seconds remaining knotting the game at 57-57 and forcing overtime.

The two teams would continue to battle back-and-forth through the five minute overtime as a jumper by Lasell's Danielle Autencio would tie the game at 67-67 with under a minute on the clock.  NEC would regain procession of the ball late as Pumphret would draw a foul with 1.3 on the clock and sink one of two from the line to give the Pilgrims the 68-67 victory.

NEC returns to action Thursday, Jan 10 when they travel to take on undefeated NAC foe Castleton State College.  Lasell will open Great Northeast Atlantic Conference play on Saturday, Jan. 12 when they host Johnson & Wales University at 2 p.m.