AUBURNDALE, Mass. - Sophomore forward Presley Silva (Wilmington, Mass.) led the Simmons College women's basketball team with 14 points and eight rebounds in a 55-51 loss to host Lasell College this evening in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference contest in Auburndale, Mass. The Sharks fall to 7-10 overall and 1-5 in league play, while the Lasers improve to 10-9 and 3-3.
Simmons looked to erase a 13-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter and outscored Lasell, 20-11, in the final period, but ran out of time in the end.
Silva was 5-9 from the floor and a perfect 4-4 from the line to go with three steals and a career-high five assists for the Sharks. Senior forward Nicole Alberghini (Northborough, Mass.) also pulled down eight rebounds and added 10 points in addition to an assist and a steal, while first year guard Francesca Corsinetti (Johnston, R.I.) contributed with 11 points, including a trio of three-pointers, three rebounds and three steals.
Senior guard Katie Stopera (Hollis, N.H.) turned her fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 assists. Sophomore guard Morgan Church (New London, N.H.) came off the bench to contribute 10 points – connecting on 2-2 from three-point range – with four additional rebounds.
Senior guard Sammy Long (Staten Island, N.Y.) buried a crucial three-pointer with five seconds left in the third quarter to put Lasell up 44-31.
Church connected for a trifecta early in the final period to give the Lasers a 47-33 lead and junior guard Sherilyn Small (Springfield, Mass.) later made one of two free throws as Lasell maintained a 52-42 margin with 4:41 to play in the game. The comfortable lead wouldn't last long for the home team, as Simmons slowly chipped away at the deficit. Corsinetti teamed up with first year guard Rebekah Carroll (Londonderry, N.H.) to combine for seven points and pull to within three at 52-49 with 1:39 showing on the clock. Small converted on 1-of-2 throws from the line for the Lasers but was immediately answered with a jumper from senior guard Gracie Rolfe (Newton, Mass.) to cut the deficit to 53-51 for the Sharks with five ticks left in the contest, but that was as close as they would get.
In an evenly matched first half, the Lasers held a 25-20 lead entering the halftime break. Corsinetti knocked down a three pointer to open the third stanza, followed by three freebies from Silva and Alberghini. With 4:57 on the game clock, Stopera ignited an 8-2 run for Lasell, highlighted by a the triple from Long to put the Lasers up 44-31.
Both teams return to GNAC play on Saturday, January 28 at 1:00 p.m. The Sharks welcome the Albertus Magnus College to Moore Gymnasium, while the Lasers will head to Nashua, N.H. to play Rivier University.
