WOMEN’S HOOP TOPS BABSON, FALLS TO BALDWIN WALLACE IN O.T.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Emmanuel College Women's Basketball Team split on its international trek to Puerto Rico over the winter break, as the Saints downed Babson College, 65-59 on Tuesday and then suffered a heart-breaking 54-53 overtime loss to Baldwin Wallace University on New Year's Eve.  With the split and the first semester of action complete, the Saints now stand at 5-7 on the season.

In the December 30th win over Babson, Emmanuel was led by Vanessa Bramante's (Stoneham, Mass.) game-high 18 points, in an 8-12 shooting effort. The senior captain also hauled in six rebounds in her 34 minutes of action.  Junior guard Sarah Higgins (Groveland, Mass.) poured in 17 points and dished out three assists in the win.  Freshman guard Karlee Alves (Ellington, Conn.) chipped in with eight points, while junior guard Devin Rauh (Collegeville, Pa.) handed out a game-high five assists for the Saints.

Babson got a team-high 13 points from Giovanna Pickering.  The Beavers also received 10 points apiece off the bench from both Jennifer Narlee and Ashley Snyder.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Saints carried their 5-6 record into the gym at the University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon, set to take on Baldwin Wallace University.  The Yellow Jackets had suffered a tough 57-44 loss to No. 4 Tufts University the previous day and just narrowly squeaked past the Saints on day two.  It took overtime for Baldwin Wallace, which advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen last season, to overtake EC.  Trailing by two at the break (24-22), the Saints outscored BW 26-24 in the second half to force the extra period.  The Yellows Jackets netted six points in overtime to just five by the Saints.

EC was led by a double-double with game-highs of 17 points and 10 rebounds from Higgins.  She was perfect once again from behind the arc, knocking down 2-2 from three-point range.  Bramante hit 5-6 from the floor and finished with 15 points and four rebounds.  Senior center Jennifer Bujnowski (Salem, N.H.) added nine points and nine rebounds in the effort for the Saints.

Baldwin Wallace was led by All-Ohio Athletic Conference guard Audrey Smolik with a game-high 20 points.  Senior guard Shari Mangas had eight points while sophomore forward Clara Lemmon grabbed a game-high tying 10 rebounds.

Emmanuel will kick off the second semester next week, when the Saints host Bowdoin College in a non-conference game on January 6th at 7:00 PM.