Women's Hoops Runs Past MCLA, Into MASCAC Semifinals

WESTFIELD, Mass. -- Westfield State junior forward Jordan Grant (Gray, Maine) scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds as the third-seeded Owls defeated sixth-seeded MCLA, 84-46 in the opening round of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball tournament at the Woodward Center on Tuesday evening.

Westfield improves to 17-9 overall, while MCLA ends its season with a 4-21 overall record.

With the win, Westfield advances to play at #2-seed Framingham State in the tournament semifinals on Thursday, February 23 with a 7:00 tip off at the Logan Gymnasium.

Westfield forced four turnovers in the first four minutes of the game, grabbing a 7-0 lead out of the gate as Octaviana Williams (Springfield, Mass./Minnechaug) banked in a runner at just 1:15 into the game.

Westfield led 25-10 at the end of the first quarter, shooting 60 percent (9-15) from the floor.

The Owls opened the second quarter with a 15-2 run, fueled by eight points from Grant, to take a commanding 40-12 lead.

Westfield led 50-20 at the half behind 12 points and five rebounds from Grant.  The Owls forced 28 turnovers from MCLA and came up with 21 steals in the half.   MCLA was led by seven points from Zaylee Ramos (Worcester, Mass./St. Paul).

The Owls had a 10-0 spurt to open the third quarter that boosted the lead up to 40, at 60-20.   MCLA' s Kristie Zator (Windham, Conn./Parish) broke the run with a three pointer with 6:31 left in the third.

Grant finished 7-12 from the floor and 6-6 from the foul line and dished out four assists.  Lindsey Bohenko (Lowell, Mass./Central Catholic) added 12 and Olivia Hadla (Westfield, Mass.) nine points for the Owls. Jordyn Lummus (Pittsfield, Mass.), Amani Smith (Springfield, Mass./Central) and Hanna Sheldon (Taunton, Mass./Norton) each finished with eight in a balanced attack for Westfield in which 11 different players scored.  Lummus added five assists and six rebounds in a solid all-around performance.

Olivia Pressley (Cobleskill, NY) scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead MCLA, Zator finished with nine points. Ramos and Hailey Peabody (West Springfield, Mass.) each finished with seven points.

The Owls forced 43 turnovers for the game, which they converted into 56 points.