Lasell Comeback Comes Up Short in Women’s Basketball Finale

Northfield, VT – The Lasell College women's basketball team dropped their season finale on the road to the Norwich Cadets, 54-47. The Lasers finished the season 4-21 overall and 3-10 in GNAC play, while the Cadets improved to 11-14 overall and 6-7 in the GNAC. Freshman Alexis Chappell(Springfield, MA) led the way for Lasell, posting team highs of nine points and 14 rebounds. Kim Archibald(Lewiston, ME) added eight points and seven rebounds for the visitors. Freshman Aliah Curry(Windsor, MA) scored a game high 16 points to propel the Cadets past Lasell.

Both teams struggled to find the range early in the contest, and the score was deadlocked at 7-7 with 8:50 remaining, when Norwich put together a 12-4 run to build a 19-11 advantage en-route to a 24-17 lead at the break.

The second half was back and forth as the Lasers pushed the tempo and made several runs at the Cadets. Norwich led by as many as 17 points eight minutes left in the second half, only to see Lasell fight their way back into the game. The Lasers used a 9-1 run to cut the Norwich lead to 9 with 5:51 on the clock, only to see the Cadets respond with four straight points to lead 44-31.

Consecutive three pointers by Kelsey Converse(Laconia, NH) and Ashley Fry(So. Kingstown, RI) and a pair of free throws by Danielle Autencio(Montville, CT) made it a 46-41 lead for Norwich. The Cadets would end the rally with two free throws by Tylita Butler(Lexington Park, MD), and they were able to hold off Lasell from the free throw line the rest of the way for the 54-47 victory.

Lasell held a narrow advantage on the glass, outrebounding the hosts 46-44, however it wasn't enough to offset the Norwich advantage at the charity stripe, where the Cadets shot 20-31 compared to 8-16 for the visitors.