Women's Basketball: Lasers fall short, 68-57, to Elms in overtime

NEWTON, Mass. - A 3-pointer with six seconds remaining in the fourth quarter by freshman guard Juju Nealy of the Lasell University women's basketball team forced overtime Monday evening, but Great Northeast Athletic Conference-rival Elms secured a 68-57 victory in the Athletic Center. 

Nealy dropped 14 points for the Lasers (8-11, 6-7 GNAC), scoring in double figures for the 15th consecutive game. Senior forward Meg Carroll finished with a team-high 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Freshman guard Jasmine DePina recorded eight points, a team-best 14 rebounds, four steals and three assists. 

Lasell received great production off the bench by graduate student Peyton Young (9 points, 6 rebounds) and freshman forward Mia Sullivan-Sanders (9 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals). The four steals were tied with DePina for the most on the team.

"It was a good battle," said Lasell University Women's Basketball Head Coach Kelley Sundberg. "It was not the outcome we wanted. We must learn and get ready for our game Wednesday."

Aiyanalee Lopez finished with game-highs of 31 points and 23 rebounds for the Blazers (9-7, 6-7 GNAC). She shot 10 of 20 from the field and buried 10 free throws. Angelica Peguero-Flores contributed with 17 points and nine rebounds for the visitors.

After falling behind, 9-4, in the first quarter, Lasell responded with five straight points, evening the game at 9-9 on a 3-point shot by Sullivan-Sanders with five minutes left. Sarah Evangelista drilled a trey with 1:25 remaining, ending a 7-0 run for Elms and giving the unit a 16-9 advantage.

Elms extended its lead to 20-11 with 7:46 left in the second quarter, but the hosts responded with 17 consecutive points over the ensuing 7:08. Carroll dropped seven points during the surge, as a layup by Nealy gave the Lasers a 28-20 lead with 38 seconds left on the clock. Lasell won the second quarter, 18-5.

A jumper by Carroll 59 seconds into the third extended Lasell's cushion to 32-21. A 11-0 surge by Elms concluded with a trey by Lopez, evening the score at 32-32 with 5:13 on the scoreboard. The Lasers took a 40-37 advantage into the fourth.

In a tightly contested fourth, neither team was able to get a lead larger than three points. Two made foul shots late by Lopez put the visitors in front, 53-50, with eight seconds remaining. Lasell took a timeout, and then Nealy buried a top-of-the-key three-ball, sending the game into overtime. 

The Blazers won the overtime period, 15-4. Lopez scored 10 points in the extra session, going 4 of 6 from the field and 2 for 2 from the free-throw line. Carroll opened the scoring 18 seconds into the overtime with a jumper, but eight straight points by Lopez gave Elms a 66-57 cushion with 29 seconds remaining.

Lasell won bench points, 18-11, and held a 13-9 advantage in assists. Both teams battled aggressively on the glass, as the Blazers won the rebounding margin, 52-51.

The Lasers will host Saint Joseph (Conn.) Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Athletic Center.

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

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