WESTFIELD, Mass. – Hannah Sheldon (Taunton, Mass.) and Jordan Grant (Gray, Maine) each scored 17 points as Westfield State defeated Mass. College of Liberal Arts 88-42 in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game from North Adams, Mass. on Wednesday evening.
The Owls improve to 12-9 on the season and 5-3 in the MASCAC. MCLA drops to 4-17 on the year and 1-7 in conference play.
Sheldon converted seven of her nine field goal attempts on an efficient shooting night, adding four steals. Grant shot 50% from the floor, making eight of 16 field goals and is now 28 points away from reaching 1,000 career points. Olivia Hadla (Westfield, Mass.) joined both in double figures with 14 points.
Hailey Peabody (West Springfield, Mass.) registered a double-double, leading all scorers with 21 points and 16 rebounds. Zaylee Ramos (Worcester, Mass.) followed with ten points, and Ashlyn Bill (Norwich, Conn.) chipped in seven points and eight rebounds.
The Owls started slow to open the quarter, trailing 12-11 with 4:13 remaining in the frame after a layup from Peabody.
Westfield closed the final four minutes by scoring ten of the next 13 points with Maddie Pond (Holyoke, Mass.) and Hadla connecting for threes to regain the lead, then a layup from Grant put the Owls up six after one quarter.
The Owls quickly pushed the lead into double figures to begin the second quarter after consecutive layups from Pond and Hadla. Later in the period, Westfield scored on six straight offensive possessions to vault the lead up to as many as 24 points, capped off by a pair of triples from Sheldon and Jordyn Lummus (Pittsfield, Mass.). A layup from Tori Dodge (North Canaan, Conn.) closed a 20-2 scoring run with five minutes to play in the half.
Hadla buried another triple to finish the half, giving the Owls a 48-29 halftime advantage.
Westfield stifled the Trailblazers in the third quarter, allowing just four points in the period as the Owls allowed just 13 points in the second half to cruise to victory.
The Owls defense forced 41 turnovers and collected 26 steals, resulting in 23 fast break points on the night. Westfield shot 42% (34-81) from the field, assisting on 20 of 34 made baskets.
MCLA was held to 37.8% (17-45) shooting in the game, adding two triples in ten attempts.
Westfield State will return home to host Worcester State in their next game in MASCAC action on Saturday at noon from the Woodward Center in Westfield, Mass.