Women's Basketball Drops Home Opener against WPI

SPRINGFIELD (November 15, 2022) – The Western New England women's basketball team had their first home game of the season vs. the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Engineers. They fell to the Engineers 63-40.

Records:

• Western New England: 1-3
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute: 3-0

How It Happened: WPI got after it early with an 11-0 run within five minutes of play in the first quarter. Emma Elrod put WNE on the scoreboard on the foul line, there was another basket from the Engineers, and then Elrod for two more on the line. Emma Kahn hit a jumper to bring the Golden Bears only down 10 with two minutes remaining, 15-5. WPI laid in two more buckets before the first expired with them in the lead 19-5.

Khan opened the second with a three for the Golden Bears. The Engineers knocked in a basket, and Elrod hit a three-pointer for WNE. They were back within 10 after a layup from Emma Novajasky and broke the double-digit lead following a layup from Elrod a little over five minutes until the half 23-15. A three swooshed in by WPI had it back to an 11-point game. The Golden Beard had pushed the lead under 10, but a jump shot in the final seconds of the half for WPI had them on top 32-21 at halftime.

The second half started slow. The first score came at 8:36 with a basket for the Engineers. Their next hoop came three minutes later after a jump shot and some free-throws followed before the Golden Bears scored in the half. They got two from Caitlyn Hunt on the free-throw line under five minutes left in the third, 38-23 WPI. A foul shot, a three, and a layup made it a 20+ game for the Engineers, 44-23 at 2:39. There were some free-throws and three-point shots in both directions of the court, but a three from Kahn broke the 20 gap for the Golden Bears at the end of the third, 50-32.

Lindsey Carey laid in the first basket of the quarter and WPI answered with two of their own. Abby Garaban then laid one in, and again the Engineers did the same. The score was 60-36 with five minutes left in the game. Hunt and Elrod put in some baskets for the Golden Bears and the Engineers did not score again until under a minute left. They still won the ball game against the Golden Bears 63-40.

On the Court:

• As a team, the Golden Bears shot 25.5 percent from the paint, 17.6 percent from three-point line, 75.0 percent from the foul line, while gathering 30 rebounds, six assists, and five steals.
• The Engineers had 45.6 percent from the floor, 19.0 percent from beyond the arc, and 70.0 percent from the free throw line while grabbing 39 rebounds, 17 assists, eight steals, and one block.
• The Golden Bears were led by Emma Elrod who had 10 points and four rebounds. She went 2-8 from inside the arc, and 5-8 from the foul line.
• Emma Kahn recorded eights, and Emma Novajasky led the team in rebounds with six.

Up Next: The Golden Bears remain at home for the next basketball game against Albertus Magnus College for a 7 p.m. tipoff time.