Women’s Basketball Fall 58-53 on the Road to Fitchburg State

FITCHBURG, Mass. – The MCLA Women's Basketball team took to the road this evening for a MASCAC matchup with Fitchburg State University. The Trailblazers had a balanced attack with four players scoring double digit point totals while playing one of their most contested games of the season. In the end the home team picked up their fourth win of the season.

THE BASICS

• Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2026
• Score: MCLA 53, Fitchburg 58
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 0-19 (MASCAC 0-13) | Fitchburg State University Falcons 4-20 (MASCAC 2-11)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• MCLA began the game on a hot streak, starting the game on an 11-3 run that started and finished with a pair of threes by senior guard/forward Hailey Peabody (W. Springfield, MA) after the opening four and a half minutes of play. The eight-point advantage would prove to be the high-water mark for the Trailblazers.
• The Falcons would rally to take the lead back early in the second quarter on an Alexis Desimone three. This lead for the home team would survive for a few minutes until junior guard Dakota Quick (Connelly, NY) broke a 15-15 tie with a three and kicking off a 9-4 run that consisted entirely of threes by Quick.
• The first half scoring would close on another three, this time from sophomore guard Abigail Scialabba (Williamstown, MA), moving the score to 29-27 and Fitchburg clinging to the small lead.
• MCLA opened the second half with a run that was strikingly similar to how they opened the game, erasing the deficit, and flipping a two-point Falcon lead into an eight-point advantage. Sophomore forward Amare Williams (Woburn, MA) began the run banking in a three after Peabody's kick out pass near the top of the key. After a Fitchburg layup, the Trailblazers responded with a layup by senior forward Ashlyn Bill (Windham, CT) and threes by Quick and Scialabba. The third quarter would end with MCLA ahead 41-36.
• Any momentum that the road team developed in the third quarter would swiftly move to the home team in the closing quarter. Fitchburg's Mikayler Patch was a force in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 points on a perfect 4-4 from the field, including a pair of three-point shots to secure a 58-53 win.
• The Trailblazers' Quick and the Falcons DeSimone would share the game scoring title with both scoring 15 points. Williams (12), Peabody (10), and Scialabba (10) rounded out the MCLA contingent of double figure scorers while Patch and Kaelynn Tanner each scored 10 for the Fitchburg. Malaica Guillaume led all players with a game-high 17 boards, including 12 on the defensive end while Patch completed a double-double with 12 rebounds. Peabody (11) and Williams (10) also posted large rebound totals for the road team.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Field Goals / %: MCLA 20-64 / 31.3%, Fitchburg 21-78 / 26.9%
• 3 Points / %: MCLA 11-29 / 37.9%, Fitchburg 9-37 / 24.3%
• Free Throw / %: MCLA 2-3 / 66.7%, Fitchburg 7-13 / 53.8%
• Rebounds: MCLA 47, Fitchburg 57
• Points off Turnovers: MCLA 4, Fitchburg 14
• Second Chance Points: MCLA 2, Fitchburg 6
• Points in the Paint: MCLA 8, Fitchburg 12
• Bench Points: MCLA 0, Fitchburg 12

UP NEXT

On Saturday, MCLA will be back in action when it plays host to Salem State University in the Amsler Campus Center Gymnasium for a MASCAC matchup with the Vikings. Tip-off is scheduled for noon. The Trailblazers will be honoring their senior class before the game, so please arrive early to celebrate with us.

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