WBB: Lasell defeated by Emmanuel in GNAC match-up

BOSTON – The Emmanuel College women's basketball team remained perfect in the Great Northeast Conference (GNAC) on Saturday in a complete team victory over the Lasell College Lasers, 90-55, led by junior guard Kayla Weaver's (West Haven, Conn.) game-high 20 points.

Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda (Cambridge, Mass.) recorded another double-double for Emmanuel (17-4, 8-0 GNAC) with 19 points and 10 rebounds while teammate Maddie McLaughlin (Westerly, R.I.) scored 17 points, going 3-for-4 from behind the arc.

Junior Amanda Ortiz (Newton, Mass.) led the Lasers (5-14, 0-7 GNAC) with 20 points, seven rebounds and six steals, while graduate student Breanna Muir (Wareham, Mass.) finished with 14 points. Ortiz, who leads the team and ranks seventh in the GNAC with 18.1 points per game, has led the Lasers in scoring 13 of her 16 games, including nine of the last 10. She also leads the conference and ranks seventh nationally with 3.9 steals per game.

The Lasers started off the game hot as Muir connected on back to back shots from deep but the Saints quickly took the lead back (17-13) as McLaughlin and Ramirez-Tejeda scored in the paint. Emmanuel closed out the quarter with reserves Jamad Fiin (Boston, Mass.) and Loredana D'Agostino (East Windsor, Conn.) pushing the offense, 22-13.

Weaver started off the second quarter opening up the game for the Saints with eight points within five minutes, and the efficient shooting from behind the arc by McLaughlin and freshman guard Korie Mathis (Duluth, Ga.) continued to push the Saints ahead of the Lasers, going into break up 55-25.

EC came out of the break with more fire as Ramirez-Tejeda, Weaver and McLaughlin scored a quick 10 points all off of layups and controlled the Lasers with strong defense before a crew off the bench for the Saints entered the game. Lasell went on a late 11-0 run led by Ortiz to close out the quarter, 76-41.

Freshman forward Riley Lahiff (Attleboro, Mass.) controlled the boards for the Saints in the final frame while Weaver continued her offensive performance from behind the arc and D'Agostino scored from within the key to complete the victory.

The Lasers will be looking for their first GNAC victory on Tuesday, February 5 at 5:30 p.m. as they host Johnson & Wales University at 5:30 p.m. The Saints will be looking to stay undefeated in conference play on Tuesday as they travel to defending GNAC champion Saint Joseph's College of Maine at 6:00 p.m.

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