Blue Basketball Stopped by Clark, 55-33

WORCESTER, Mass. - Junior Alaina Schatzabel (Kennebunk, Maine) scored 20 points with eight rebounds to lead Clark to a 55-33 win in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Wednesday night at Kneller Athletic Center.

Schatzabel and classmate Jacqueline Faulise (North Kingston, R.I.) combined for 37 points while graduate student Cam Richey (Upton, Mass.) had four assistant and three steals for the Cougars (11-13 Overall, 2-7 NEWMAC). Senior Pujita Shukla (Austin, Texas) was the high scorer for the Blue (8-15 Overall, 2-7 NEWMAC) with 11 points and pulled down eight rebounds. 

A layup by junior Jiyun Chae (Chantilly, Va.) gave the Blue a 2-0 lead before Clark scored 11 unanswered points backed by multiple baskets from Faulise. The Blue brought the gap to three at the end of the first with junior Anna Greenthal (Orinda, Calif.) scoring late to make it 13-10 in Clark's favor.

The Blue were outscored 12-8 in a competitive second quarter with Shukla and sophomore Sairah O'Brien-Forde (Binghamton, N.Y.) converting their foul shots to keep Wellesley close in the half. 

The Cougars brought their lead to 35-18 on a layup from Schatzabel capping off a 10-0 run to start the third. Clark shot 50% (8-for-16) in the period with Schatzabel converting all five of her attempts. Shukla had a trio of points for Wellesley as did first year Yitzel Serna (Palmdale, Calif.) with Wellesley trailing 42-29 after three.

Wellesley never got back within 10 as Clark closed out a 55-33 game behind six added points from senior Julianne Liebow (Townshend, Vt.).

The Blue host Smith for senior day in their regular season finale at 1:00 PM on Saturday while the Cougars close out their season at MIT at 2:00 PM the same day.