Women's Basketball Bounces Back with 58-52 GNAC Win over Colby-Sawyer

NEW LONDON, N.H. – January 29, 2020 – The Colby-Sawyer College women's basketball team fell to defending Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) champion Emmanuel, 58-52, at the Hogan Sports Center Wednesday evening.

Emmanuel improves to 13-6 overall and 5-1 in the GNAC. The Saints host Suffolk on Saturday at 1 p.m. Colby-Sawyer falls to 12-6 overall and 2-3 in conference action. The Chargers travel to Anna Maria on Saturday for a 1 p.m. tip with the AMCATS.

The Saints received 19 points from senior Kayla Weaver (West Haven, Conn.). She made 13-of-18 free throws and added five steals. Sophomore Loredana D'Agostino (East Windsor, Conn.) registered 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Senior Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda (Cambridge, Mass.) contributed a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. She made all six of her free throws.

Junior Joslin Wainwright (Plainfield, N.H.) led the Chargers with 19 points and tied a career-high with 11 rebounds. Senior Lexie Hamilton (Sunapee, N.H.) finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals.

Colby-Sawyer raced out to a 7-0 lead before Emmanuel got on the board with a D'Agostino jumper. The Chargers then pushed their advantage to nine, 13-4, after a pair of Wainwright free throws with 4:29 on the clock. The Saints were able to battle back, holding Colby-Sawyer scoreless for the remainder of the quarter, with a 10-0 run to take a 14-13 lead after 10 minutes. Hamilton had seven points to lead all scorers.

The Chargers regained the lead, early in the second half, and took a 4-point advantage after a Noelle Barrett (South Berwick, Maine) layup. Colby-Sawyer continued to apply the pressure with efficient shooting from the floor. A Weaver free throw pulled Emmanuel within 22-21 at 4:51 and then the Chargers began to build their lead. Colby-Sawyer would score on their next four possessions to lead 30-21 at the half. The Chargers shot 72.7% from the floor in the second and held Emmanuel to 3-of-17 shooting.

Emmanuel turned things around in the third with a similar quarter to Colby-Sawyer's performance in the second. The Saints outscored the Chargers 19-9 and shot 64.3%, while holding Colby-Sawyer to 4-of-13. The visitors began the frame with a 10-0 run to take a 31-30 lead. The Chargers retook the lead with a 7-0 run of their own with 4:25 left to go. Emmanuel then had another run to finish the quarter in front 40-39.  

The Saints went ahead 44-39 after a D'Agostino bucket, two minutes into the fourth. That would be the last field goal Emmanuel would make in the game, however, the Saints made 14 free throws in the final eight minutes to come away with the 58-52 victory.

Emmanuel turned 24 Colby-Sawyer miscues into 27 points. The Saints went 20-of-28 from the free throw line, while Colby-Sawyer made 11-of-18.

*Release courtesy of Colby-Sawyer College Athletic Communications