Big Runs Spark Golden Bears to 68-51 Win over Gordon

WNE opens game with 12-0 run, before starting second half with 11-0 spurt

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (January 19, 2019) – A pair of 10+ point runs to start the first and third quarters helped fuel Western New England University's 68-51 victory over Gordon College on Saturday afternoon in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's basketball action at the Alumni Healthful Living Center.  

Top Performers
Junior forward Meghan Orbann (East Hampton, Conn.) powered the Golden Bears with her third double-double of the season, as she scored a game-high 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to go with three blocks, one steal and one assist.

Junior guard Emily Farrell (New Fairfield, Conn.) finished with 14 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals, while sophomore Lauren Chadwick (Gardiner, Maine) turned in a strong all-around effort with a career-high 13 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Sophomore forward Emily Scurka (Billerica, Mass.) rounded out Western New England's four double-figure scorers with 14 points, three rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes off the bench.

Gordon was led by senior guard Brooke Dyson (Houston, Texas), who scored a team-high 14 points and also tallied three rebounds, two assists and one steal.

Sophomore guard Abby Vampatella (Mansfield Center, Conn.) contributed 12 points, five rebounds and three assists, while juniors Sarah Gibbs (Elizabethtown, Pa.) and Alisha Henderson (Oregon City, Ore.) chipped in with nine points each.

Game Review
The Golden Bears dominated the early part of the first quarter, making five of their first six field goal attempts en route to a 12-0 lead. Orbann and Chadwick led the way with five points each, as both players connected from beyond the arc.

A Gibbs layup with 4:40 left in the opening frame finally got the Fighting Scots on the board, but Gordon faced a ten-point deficit (19-9) at the conclusion of the quarter.

Western New England's lead reached 14 (27-13) when Scurka knocked down a jumper just under three minutes into the second period.

Vampatella sank a pair of free throws with 3:12 on the clock before draining a triple at the 1:51 mark to get the visitors back to within single digits (34-25), but Orbann hit a three-pointer and Scurka added a free throw late in the frame to push the Golden Bears' advantage back to 13 (38-25) at the break.

Western New England broke the game open with an 11-0 run to start the second half, as the Golden Bears extended their lead to 24 (49-25).

Gordon fought its way back into the contest with a 12-0 spurt of its own, but the Fighting Scots still faced a 12-point deficit (50-42) heading into the final frame.

The visitors were able to close the gap to nine points (55-46) following a Gibbs layup with 6:33 to play, but they would get no closer. Western New England posted a 9-2 run to end the game, pushing the final margin of victory to 17.

Notes
• Western New England shot 44.1 percent (26-of-59) from the field, the best shooting performance for the Golden Bears since they connected at a 50 percent clip (30-of-60) in a 79-61 win at MCLA on December 8.
• Western New England outrebounded Gordon 41-32, and the Golden Bears recorded 17 assists on their 26 made field goals.
• Orbann has reached double-figure scoring in six straight games and 13 of 17 contests this season.

Up Next
Both teams will be back in action on Tuesday, as Western New England (10-7, 5-4 CCC) continues its four-game homestand against Wentworth, and Gordon (5-13, 2-7 CCC) returns home to take on the University of New England.