Women's Basketball: Juju Nealy drops career-high 22 points in 69-67 loss at Elms

CHICOPEE, Mass. - Freshman guard Juju Nealy scored a career-high 22 points and freshman guard Jasmine DePina tallied a game-leading 14 rebounds for the Lasell University women's basketball team during a 69-67 setback at Great Northeast Athletic Conference-rival Elms Thursday evening.

Nealy made a career-best eight field goals, shooting 8 of 15 from the field and 2 of 5 on 3-pointers. She has scored double figures in 13 consecutive games and has finished with 20 or more points four times this season for the Lasers (7-10, 5-6 GNAC). DePina has recorded double-digit rebounds in back-to-back games and five of her last eight. 

Senior forward Meg Carroll finished with 15 points, five rebounds and tied a career-high four blocks. She shot 7 of 16 from the field, while freshman forward Mia Sullivan-Sanders gave Lasell 18 tremendous minutes off the bench, compiling eight points and seven boards. 

"We do a good job digging ourselves out of a hole, but we need to stop putting ourselves in that position in the first place," said Lasell University Women's Basketball Head Coach Kelley Sundberg.

Rahmia Johnston led the way for the Blazers (8-7, 5-7 GNAC) with the only double-double in the game, as she tallied a game-best 24 points and team-leading 12 rebounds. 

Elms raced out to a 17-3 lead on a 3-point shot by Johnston with 2:43 remaining in the first. A jumper by Sullivan-Sanders with eight seconds on the clock cut the Blazers' advantage to 21-9 at the end of one.

A 7-0 run brought the visitors to within six at 27-21 with 3:51 left in the second. The run ended with a pair of free throws by DePina and Nealy. Elms built its cushion to 38-25 with two free throws by Sarah Evangelista with two seconds left in the half.

Lasell won the third, 18-13, and cut the deficit to single digits heading into the fourth, as a layup by Nealy trimmed the Blazers' lead to 51-43 with 12 seconds remaining in the third. Nealy scored nine points and grabbed four boards in the third, shooting 3 of 5 from the field and 1 for 2 on 3-pointers.

A three-ball by Johnston extended the hosts' lead to 60-49 with 6:38 left in regulation. Lasell erupted for 24 fourth-quarter points and embarked on a 15-4 surge, evening the game at 64-64 on a jumper by senior guard Marie Zampano (9 points) with 2:15 remaining. Three points by Evangelista and two by Johnston in the final 1:26 clinched the two-point victory for Elms.

Lasell held a 42-18 advantage in points in the paint and a 14-12 lead in assists. The Lasers' defense limited Elms to 30.4% shooting from the field (21 for 69).

The Lasers will compete against GNAC-rival Johnson & Wales Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Lasell Athletic Center.

Director of Athletic Communications Trevor Wenners can be reached at twenners@lasell.edu.

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