Wellesley Basketball Victorious Against Elms, 65-43

CHICOPEE, Mass. - Wellesley College basketball had a strong second half in a 65-43 win over Elms on Wednesday night at Maguire Center.

Senior Pujita Shukla (Austin, Texas) had a standout night for the Blue (5-4) with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Sairah O'Brien-Forde (Binghamton, N.Y.) chipped in 12 points. Graduate student Brianna Metellus (Springfield, Mass.) was the Blazers' (3-2) leading scorer with 10 points.

Elms opened the game on a 7-2 run highlighted by a three pointer from Metellus. The Blue scored the next 12 points with seven points coming from Shukla and four from O'Brien-Forde. The Blue ended the first quarter with a 14-10 lead.

The teams traded threes early in the second with Shukla and Metellus each scoring for their teams. The teams stayed within six points of one another throughout the quarter. At the half Wellesley led 27-23. Shukla had 11 points and seven rebounds in the half for the Blue while O'Brien-Forde had seven points.

Elms took a 30-29 lead early in the third on the strength of multiple baskets from first year Mikalyer Patch (North Attleboro, Mass.). Layups from Shukla and O'Brien-Forde gave Wellesley the lead back at 33-30. By the end of the quarter Wellesley led 40-34.

A layup from Shukla early in the fourth brought the Blue's lead to 10 at 44-34. Junior Elle Petra (Guilford, Conn.) scored a quick four points for the Blue to extend Wellesley's lead to 14. Wellesley continued with another seven unanswered points to lead by 21. Wellesley went on to finish off 65-43.

The Blue head home to host SUNY Canton next Tuesday night at 7:00 PM. The Blazers travel to Regis on Saturday for a 1:00 PM game.