Melissa Gray (file photo)
Posted: Nov 19, 2021
WESTFIELD, Mass. -- Westfield State senior Melissa Gray scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, but that was not enough as the Owls fell to Emerson College by a 67-63 score at the Lafrance Hospitality Tournament at UMass Dartmouth on Friday night.
The Owls trailed by as many as 12 points early in the first half, but trimmed the lead down to just one point, 36-35 at the half after a late three-pointer from Olivia Hadla.
Westfield grabbed a39-36 lead early in the third quarter on buckets from Jenn Rennich and Hadla, but the Owls endured a long scoring drought late in the period as Emerson netted the final eight points of the period to take a 52-44 lead into the fourth quarter.
A Gray three pointer with 1:33 left got the Owls within three points at 64-61 with 1:33 to play. Westfield forced turnovers on the next two Lions' possessions, but the Owl missed three layups on the next two offensive possessions and could get no closer the rest of the way.
Alie Mendel added 13 points for Westfield. Hadla finished with seven points and three assists.
Gray now has 1,375 career points, and moved into sixth on the Owls' all-time scoring list, passing Beth Hennessey '87 and Andrea Wasuk '09. Gray needs 10 more to match the total of Lucy Barrett '19 in fifth.
Chelsea Gibbons an Ava Salti led Emerson with 15 points each. Katie Beckmann netted nine points to go with 11 rebounds.
Westfield slips to 0-4 on the season, while Emerson is now 2-4. Westfield will play in the consolation game tomorrow at 12 p.m. at UMass Dartmouth's Tripp Athletic center against the loser of the UMD-Western New England game.