Women's Hoops Evens Record at 8-8 with Win at Simmons

Boston, Mass. (01/21/13) - The Lasell College women's basketball team climbed to 8-8 on the season and 3-2 in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action after picking up a 66-52 conference road victory over Simmons University. The Sharks dropped to 2-12 on the season and 0-4 in league contests.

Alexis Chappell (Springfield, Mass.) scored 13 points and handed out seven assists for Lasell, who also saw Molly Lauver (Cambridge, N.Y.) and Kim Archibald (Lewiston, Me.) reach double figures with 13 and 10 points respectively.

Jen Janiak (Chelmsford, Mass.) led the Sharks with 15 points, going 5-11 from three point land, and Hannah May (Hamden, Conn.) added 11 points.

Lasell capitalized on a strong shooting performance, hitting at a 52% clip from the floor, while knocking down 4-6 from distance. Simmons overcame a 39% performance from the floor by knocking down 11 three point field goals and grabbing 13 offensive rebounds to keep the game close until the final minutes.

Lasell ran out to an 18-9 lead in the game's opening 10 minutes, but Simmons battled back, tying the game at 24-24 on a Janiak triple, and going ahead 27-26 with 4:30 left in the opening half on Janiak's second straight three pointer. A Ginelle Cola (Lowell, Mas.) free throw and five points from Lauver helped the Lasers take a 32-27 lead into the break.

Early in the second half, Lasell attempted to put some distance between themselves and the hosts, but every time the Lasers would push their lead to the verge of double digits the Sharks would respond with a basket from behind the arc to stay within striking distance.

Lasell used six straight points to go ahead 51-41 with 6:13 to play. Janiak again found the range from distance to cut the Lasers lead to seven points, and Lasell's Archibald drilled back-to-back jumpers to push the visitors edge to 55-44.

Desh Perrara's (Reading, Mass.) jumper brought Simmons within nine with 4:25 remaining, and a pair of three point field goals by Lasell's Kayla Vincellette (Weston, Mass.) and Deanna Barrett (Berlin, Conn.) sandwiching a Janiak three pointer gave Lasell a 61-49 lead with 2:34 to play. Lasell would close out the 66-52 win at the free throw line.

Simmons will play Rivier University on Wednesday January 23rd at 7:00 p.m. The Lasers will also make their return to the hardwood on Wednesday evening when they travel to New Haven, Conn. for a matchup with Albertus Magnus College.