WESTFIELD, Mass. –Westfield State trailed by as many as 20 points in the second quarter, but a furious second half rally lifted the Owls to a 65-61 win over Worcester State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball game at the Woodward Center on Wednesday night.
Jordyn Lummus' (Pittsfield, Mass.) 3-pointer with two minutes left in the game gave the Owls their first lead of the game since it was 2-0, putting the Owls up 60-58, a lead they would not relinquish.
Westfield, which came into the game 13th in the nation with 8.8 made three point baskets per game, was blanked in the first half from behind the arc as they shot 0-14. The ice cold stretch extended as Westfield State missed its first 17 three pointers of the game before Lila Labrie (Schenectady, N.Y./Hampshire Regional (MA) HS) took the lid off with a triple at the 7:59 mark of the fourth quarter that trimmed the Worcester lead to 50-47.
Jordan Grant (Gray, ME) led the Owls with 19 points, with Lummus adding 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Olivia Hadla (Wetsfield, Mass.) added 11 points and eight rebounds.
Worcester was led by 15 points apiece from Erin Gallella (Tewksbury, Mass.) and Elizabeth Gallella (Tewksbury, Mass.) with Erin added five assists and five steals. Katie Hurnyowicz (Tyngsboro, Mass.) added 12 points and seven rebounds.
Worcester State led 34-16 at the half, behind 10 points from Elizabeth Gallella. Westfield sleepwalked through the first half, shooting just 6-33 from the floor, and turning the ball over 15 times.
With Worcester leading 41-24 with four minutes left in the third quarter, the Owls embarked on a 12- run over the next 2:07 of play, trimming the lead back down to a manageable seven points, at 41-36 after a pair of Lummus free throws. Westfield's press forced four turnovers over the key two-minute stretch.
Hurynowicz hit a buzzer beating layup to end the third quarter and the Lancers held a 10-lead entering the fourth quarter.
Westfield steadily ground their way back into the game, with the two big trifectas from Labrie and Lummus finally turning the tide. The Owls made five of six free throws in the final minute and a half to seal the deal. Westfield connected on 23-34 free throw attempts in the game, as Worcester's jump-shooting offense made just 13 trips to the sin stripe, converting eight. Westfield outscored the Lancers, 49-27 in the second half.
Westfield is now 14-9, 7-3 in the MASCAC, tied for second in the league standings with Framingham State. The Owls host league-leading Bridgewater (8-1) at the Woodward Center on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. as the nightcap of a doubleheader with the men's teams.
Worcester State (8-14, 4-5 MASCAC) will next play on Saturday as the Lancers host Fitchburg State with a 2:00 noon tip.