WBB: Final Buzzer Sounds on Hard-Fought Season

Northfield, Vermont- The Lasell University women's basketball 2026 campaign came to a heartbreaking close in a nail-biter against the Norwich University Cadets in the GNAC Quarterfinals.

Lasell struggled to find its rhythm in the opening quarter, falling behind 14–8 after a slow offensive start. Early turnovers and missed layups prevented Lasell from establishing momentum. Blaize Mack and Hailey Johnson provided brief sparks in transition, and mid-range jumpers from Laura Johnson and Abigail Duclos kept the game within reach at 9–8, but cold perimeter shooting and missed second-chance opportunities allowed Norwich to close the quarter on a run and take control early.

Lasell battled early in the second quarter, trimming the deficit to three after Shirle Major went 3-for-4 at the line and Laura Johnson converted a pair of strong finishes inside to make it 17–20. However, Norwich answered repeatedly, and used transition opportunities to regain control. Despite steals from Major and Johnson that created fastbreak chances, Lasell struggled to convert in the half court and Norwich closed the quarter on a decisive run, stretching the margin to as many as 17. Lasell went into halftime trailing 40–23.

Lasell came out strong in the third quarter, with renewed energy on both ends of the floor. Duclos opened the scoring and Daeserae Williamson sparked a surge with multiple finishes inside, including a fastbreak layup off a feed from Laura Johnson, cutting the deficit to 47–37 midway through the period. Johnson continued to control the paint with strong rebounding and interior scoring, helping Lasell trim the margin to eight at 47–39 after another Williamson bucket, although Norwich continued to responded to halt the momentum. Duclos knocked down a late three to keep Lasell within striking distance closed the quarter down 58–44.

Lasell was unable to mount a full comeback in the fourth quarter as Norwich quickly extended the lead to push the margin past 20. The Lasers continued to fight back, finding second-chance points from Johnson and Mack.  Duclos provided a late spark from beyond the arc, knocking down three fourth-quarter triples, including one in the final minute but the Cadets consistently answered and controlled the glass, ultimately handing Lasell a 75-61 loss to end their season.

Lasell closed out the 2025-26 campaign with an impressive 19-7 overall record and an 8-4 mark in GNAC play. In the first season under the direction of Matthew Reid, the Lasers quickly established themselves as a playoff contender, earning a spot in the GNAC postseason and competing with grit down to the final buzzer. While their run ultimately fell just short in the quarterfinals, the foundation laid this season signals a promising trajectory for the program.