WOMEN’S HOOPS POSTS 68-38 WIN OVER LASELL

BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College women's basketball team recorded a 68-38 victory over Lasell College Saturday afternoon at the Jean Yawkey Center in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action. With the win, EC improves to 10-9 overall and a perfect 5-0 in GNAC play while the loss drops the Lasell to 5-12 and 1-4 in the GNAC.

The Lasers jumped out to a 5-2 lead but it was short lived as a junior guard Sarah Higgins (Groveland, Mass.) put the Saints up for good with a layup with 16:05 left in the half to make it 6-5 in favor of the hosts.

With 9:52 to play in the half, senior forward Jennifer Bujnowski (Salem, N.H.) drained a jumper to push the Emmanuel lead to double-figures at 18-7.

A layup by Lasell junior guard Katie Stopera (Hollis, N.H.) with just over six minutes remaining in the opening half pulled the Lasers to within 11 at 24-13 but it would be the closest the visitors would come the rest of the contest as Emmanuel carried a 34-17 into the halftime intermission.

At the break, the Saints held a 32-16 rebounding advantage while the EC bench outscored the Lasell reserves, 16-2.

EC opened the second half on a 6-0 spurt to extend the lead to 40-17 but a pair of free throws by junior guard Deanna Barrett (Berlin, Conn.) with 14:32 pulled the Lasers back within striking distance at 41-25.

With 9:32 to play, EC freshman guard Sasha Puglisi (Cross River, N.Y.) bumped the home lead to 50-30 with a baseline jumper.

Emmanuel dominated the play in the paint as Bujnowski and senior forward Vanessa Bramante (Stoneham, Mass.) combined to score three baskets to extend the lead to 60-34 with under six minutes to play.

Lasell struggled from the field down the stretch and was unable to mount a comeback as Emmanuel cruised to the 68-38 victory to stay perfect in GNAC play at 5-0.

Both Bramante and Bujnowski ended the afternoon with double-doubles, each scoring 14 points while Bramante grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to complement Bujnowski's 11 boards. Bramante ended the game shooting 6-7 from the floor.

Stopera led the way for Lasell with a team-high 13 points and eight rebounds.

Each squad is back in action on Tuesday, February 3 when the Saints hit the road for a GNAC tilt in Providence, R.I. vs. Johnson & Wales at 7:00 PM while the Lasers head to Saint Joseph's College (ME) for a 5:30 PM contest.