Women’s Basketball Tops Lesley 94-84 Saturday Night

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College women's basketball team downed Lesley 94-84 Saturday evening at the Lahue Athletic Center.

THE BASICS:
Score: Eastern Nazarene 94, Lesley 84
Records: Lions (7-12, 2-0 NECC) | Lynx (4-13, 0-2 NECC)

                                   
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Lesley scored the first six points of the contest before Eastern Nazarene clawed back to snag a 17-16 edge with 1:37 remaining in the first quarter on a trey by Delaney Walker (Nampa, Idaho).
• The Lynx capped off the opening period with back-to-back baskets to hold a 20-17 lead heading into the second quarter.
• The visitors stretched their advantage to 28-20 with 7:33 on the clock in the second frame as Alexandra Kerley converted a three-point play from the charity stripe.
• Eastern Nazarene strung together a 14-0 run to claim a 38-30 lead with 2:28 to go in the second period.
• The Lions clung to a narrow 40-37 edge at the halftime intermission.
• The hosts widened the margin to 12 points, their largest lead of the night, on a bucket by Alondra Jimenez (Santa Barbara, Calif.) with 8:01 remaining in the third, 49-37.
• Both sides chalked up 25 points in the third quarter as Eastern Nazarene maintained its three-point advantage through three quarters of action.
• Lesley reclaimed the lead with 7:31 remaining in regulation as Jordan Blair splashed a three-pointer, 69-67.
• The Lynx pushed their advantage to 79-74 on a layup by Sophia Torres with 4:52 to go in the contest before Eastern Nazarene erupted for 13 unanswered points to manufacture an 87-79 lead with 1:57 left to play.
• After both sides sank treys, Michala O'Donoghue (San Bruno, Calif.) drilled a deep three-pointer to extend the Lions' lead to 93-84 late in the game and secure their second-consecutive league victory.
  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Alondra Jimenez (Santa Barbara, Calif.) scored a career-best 27 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists.
• Anaira Ayala (Guaynabo, P.R.) poured in 16 points and added two assists and two steals.
• Delaney Walker (Nampa, Idaho) notched 14 points, seven assists, and four boards.
• Michala O'Donoghue (San Bruno, Calif.) tallied 12 points, five rebounds, and five assists on the night.
• Te'yalla Simpson (Fairfield, Texas) chipped in with 10 points off the bench and Ashley Quigley (Fields Landing, Calif.) contributed with eight points and seven boards.
• Eastern Nazarene finished with a field-goal percentage of 48.8% while connecting on 11-of-32 from behind the arc.
• Lesley shot a season-best 54% from the floor in the game and knocked down 6-of-14 three-point attempts.
• Sydnie Drezek paced the Lynx with a game-high 28 points. Sophia Torres registered 23 points and eight rebounds while Alexandra Kerley posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 boards.

                                                                                    
LOOKING AHEAD:

Eastern Nazarene hosts Mitchell January 28 in a showdown between the top two squads in the New England Collegiate Conference standings.