Framingham Topples Women's Basketball, 89-71

Framingham State junior forward Flannery O’Connor (Amesbury, Mass.) scored 33 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to pave the way for the Rams in an 89-71 win over Westfield State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game at the Woodward Center on Saturday afternoon.

Westfield's Lila Labrie drives between Framingham's Katty Haidul and Flannery O'Connor.
Westfield's Lila Labrie drives between Framingham's Katty Haidul and Flannery O'Connor.
January 7, 2023

WESTFIELD, Mass. –  Framingham State junior forward Flannery O'Connor (Amesbury, Mass.) scored 33 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to pave the way for the Rams in an 89-71 win over Westfield State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game at the Woodward Center on Saturday afternoon.

O'Connor and fellow post play Katty Haidul (Gilford, N.H./Pope John) combined for 53 of the Rams 89 points, shooting 26-37 from the floor between them.

The game played out as the expected contrast of styles.  Westfield was able to push the pace in the first quarter, leading 26-21 at the end of the first quarter.   Westfield shot 40.9 percent from the floor in the first quarter, but the Owls went ice cold from the field from there, connecting on just 25 percent of their shots the rest of the way, including just 5-24 from behind the three-point arc in the final three quarters.

Framingham used a strong second quarter to grab a 46-40 lead at the half, with O'Connor netting 18 of her points in the opening stanza. 

The game stayed close throughout the third quarter, but Westfield was dealt a blow when 5-11 forward Jordan Grant (Gray, Maine) picked up her fourth foul of the game with 2:22 left in the third quarter and the Owls trailing 61-51.  

Framingham was finally able to extend the lead midway through the fourth quarter, leading 73-66 with 5:25 to play, the Rams embarked on a 12-0 run over the next three minutes, breaking pressure and getting the ball inside with Haidul scoring six of the 12 points in the run.

Framingham is now 9-3 overall and 1-1 in the MASCAC, while Westfield is now 8-7 and 1-1 in conference play.

Westfield was led by 15 points from junior guard Olivia Hadla (Westfield, Mass.) and 14 from Grant.  Jess Gardner (Webster, Mass./Holy Name) and Lila Labrie (Southampton, Mass./Hampshire Reg.) each added 10 points.

Kathrine Haselton (Greenfield, Mass.) added 18 points and six assists for the Rams, with Gwendolyn Carpenter (Ashley Falls, Mass./Mount Everett) dishing out 12 assists.

Westfield will next host Salem State in a conference game on Wednesday with a 7:30 p.m. tip off at the Woodward Center.

Framingham will next host Fitchburg State on Wednesday in another conference matchup.