MCLA falls to Endicott in ECAC quarterfinals
The MCLA Women's basketball team fell to third seeded Endicott College in the quarterfinal round of the ECAC New England Championships 73-66. The Trailblazers complete their season at 17-10. Lucy Tremblay led MCLA with 17 points.
North Adams, MA-Third Seeded Endicott College received 30 points from senior guard Ashley Wright (Merrimack, NH/Trinity) as the Gulls knocked off sixth seeded MCLA 73-66 in the 2011 ECAC New England Women's Championship quarterfinals. Endicott moves on to play #2 Seed Southern Maine, who defeated #7 seed Regis College. The Gulls improve to 17-9 while the Trailblazers complete their season at 17-10.
Wright scored 23 of her points in the opening stanza, while Ashley Vitale (Wilmington, MA/Wilmington) collected all 11 of her points after intermission. Samantha Crough (Cohasset, MA/Cohasset) finished with 15 points, including 11 in the second half.
Wright got Endicott off to a hot start as the senior connected for her team's first 13 points as the Gulls opened up a 13-8 advantage. The visitors would continue the surge and extend to their largest first half lead at 26-14 following a Samantha Crough (Cohasset, MA/Cohasset) jumper.
MCLA would respond with a 12-2 run to get back within a pair at 28-26. Trailblazers Jen Wehner (Cooperstown, NY/Cooperstown) and Kaitlyn Chenevert (Uxbridge, MA/Uxbridge) each had old fashioned three point plays in the run.
The up and down affair continued as the Gulls ripped off seven straight points pushing out to a 35-26 margin before the Trailblazers outscored them 8-1 in the final minutes to provide the 36-34 halftime score.
Wright was 7-15 in the half for her 23 points while the rest of the team was only 3-22.
MCLA opened the second half quickly knotting the game at 40 apiece on an Alie Dobrovolc (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) jumper. Both sides would trade buckets and the game would see several ties over the next ten minutes. The final time came at 58-58 with 6:39 to play.
Endicott went on a critical 7-0 run to take the lead for keeps. Vitale connected for five points in the key stretch. MCLA would trim the margin to four on a Hilary Perks (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) triple with just 47 seconds left (70-66), however the Trailblazers would not score again while the Gulls extended the lead from the charity stripe.
Lucy Tremblay (East Greenbush, NY) led MCLA with 17 points, while Wehner added 15 points and a game high 16 rebounds. She also added five blocks. Chenevert finished with 13 points along with Dobrovolc.