Wellesley Basketball Brings Win Streak To Four With 68-64 Victory Over Lasell

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Three members of Wellesley College basketball scored in double figures to give the Blue (5-3 Overall) a 68-64 win over Lasell University at Dorothy Towne Fieldhouse on Tuesday night. Wellesley has now won four straight games and holds a 4-1 record at home this season.

First year Mirella Funari (Phoenix, Ariz.) provided the Blue with 18 points on six-of-nine shooting while senior Jiyun Chae (Chantilly, Va.) and first year Trinity Barrow (Evans, Ga.) had 15 and 13 points, respectively. Barrow had a game-high seven assists in addition to four steals and first year Anna Bandini (Raleigh, N.C.) recorded a trio of blocks.

Sophomores Shirle Major (Worcester, Mass.), Kiara Cerruti (Canton, Mass.) and Laura Johnson (Groton, Conn.), and grad student Brooke Damboise (Bolton, Conn.) all had at least 10 points for the Lasers (4-4 Overall). Johnson led all players with 11 rebounds and added four steals.

A pair of early threes from Barrow and sophomore Yitzel Serna (Palmdale, Calif.) gave Wellesley a 6-0 lead to start the game. The Lasers stayed at arm's length throughout the first quarter, neither leading nor trailing by more than seven at any point. A 4-0 run capped off by a Johnson layup cut the Blue's lead to one, 15-14, to end the first quarter.

After an early defensive stalemate in the second quarter, Lasell tied the game at 19-19 at the 5:37 mark and briefly led 22-20. The team's remained within one possession of each other until halftime, with Wellesley going into the break up 27-26.

The Lasers grabbed the lead a minute into the third on a made jumper from first year Blaize Mack (Chicopee, Mass.). Lasell led for roughly four minutes before the Blue evened the game up at 32-32 on a three pointer from junior Caitlin Windross (Eastvale, Calif.). Wellesley gained momentum late in the third quarter, expanding its margin to seven at 47-40, and leading 49-42 after three quarters of play.

The Blue controlled most of the fourth quarter, outscoring its counterparts 15-6 in the first seven and a half minutes of the quarter. With roughly 2:30 remaining the Lasers made an attempt to comeback, cutting the lead down to 10 with 37 seconds left. A made Lasell three pointer from Cerruti was followed by a steal and layup from Johnson, making the game 64-59 with 21 seconds remaining. A pair of made free throws from Barrow upped Wellesley's lead to seven with five seconds remaining and a last second three from Cerruti wouldn't be enough for Lasell, as Wellesley earned a 68-64 victory.

Lasell shot 25-for-63 (39.7%) from the field and Wellesley shot 22-for 56 (39.3%). The Lasers held a sizable 53-29 rebound advantage, but the Blue limited itself to 10 turnovers while the Lasers committed 21.

The Blue hit the road to face Nichols at 7:00 PM on Friday, December 8 while the Lasers travel to Fitchburg State for a 12:00 PM contest on Saturday, December 9.