NEW LONDON, N.H. – The New England College women's basketball team fall late against the Chargers of Colby-Sawyer College on Tuesday at the Dan & Kathleen Hogan Sports Center in New London, New Hampshire in Great Northeast Athletic Conference action.
 
THE BASICS
Score:  New England College 58, Colby-Sawyer College 69
Records: Pilgrims 7-10, 1-5 GNAC | Chargers 8-9, 2-4 GNAC

TURNING POINTS

• NEC managed to get the offense going early with a 6-0 run that helped push the lead out to four in the first 3:50 of action, 6-2. The Chargers responded with a 6-0 run of their own that bestowed them the temporary lead of two points until sophomore forward Camryn Lewis (Taunton, Mass.) got inside the paint for a layup that knotted up the score, 8-8. Down the stretch of the first quarter with a minute left things were at 14-14 standstill but the Chargers would pull away with the lead after connecting on two made shots from the charity stripe. NEC was lucky enough to get two chances at the line only to come with one made shot to be down by a point at the conclusion of the quarter, 16-15.
• Senior forward Gabriella Matlock (Tulare, Calif.) commenced the scoring for the 'Grims on a jump shot for a temporary one-point lead, 17-16. Chargers proved to be quite effective from the free throw line making the most of their opportunities converting on two made shots that were followed by a layup scored by CSC junior forward Elyza Mitchell (Spofford, N.H.) for a three-point lead, 20-17. Junior guard Ajayah Lively (Victorville, Calif.) kept the 'Grims in striking distance fighting her way into the lane for a layup at 7:12, 20-19. Charges would later on tack an additional four points to the scoreboard trying to widen the gap in this closely contested outing, 24-19 with 4:35 to go. NEC found ways to flourish on the offensive end while emphasizing on defense scoring 10 points by the 1:33 mark only allowing three points for CSC within that time frame. Free throws were still a vital resource relied upon for the Chargers knocking down another set of two shots making a perfect 12-for-12 on the night from the charity to give them a 31-29 lead. CSC junior guard Makenna Grillone (Walpole, N.H.) would get into the lane for a layup that NEC couldn't come up with an answer for in retaliation as the second quarter would still be in favor of the Chargers going into halftime, 33-30.
• The third quarter for NEC started in a positive manner scoring on their first two possessions thanks to the work by Lively and junior forward Abigail Lacy (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) continuing to claw their way back into the game being down by two, 36-34. CSC Grillone would respond from behind the arc for a five-point lead for the Chargers, 39-34. Lacy found a jump shot that had quickly resulted in CSC sophomore Emma Flecker (Dracut, Mass.) converting on the other end for her first points of the game on a layup maintaining the five point CSC lead, 41-36. After a CSC free throw made at 5:37 the scoring on both sides would go cold for 2:19 then Mitchell of CSC would break the ice from the paint with 3:18 remaining in the quarter, 44-38. Senior guard Amya Moss (Norfolk, Va.) would take things into her own hands hitting two big time three pointers that shortened the lead back to one, 45-44. Unfortunately for NEC, scoring would diminish in the last 2:45 of play as they only managed to score two points while CSC came away with seven points holding onto a six-point advantage over NEC by the end of third quarter, 52-46.
• Lively would get things going for the 'Grims in the final quarter scoring the first four points for the team to bring the deficit to within four points, 54-50. A layup at 6:52 made by Moss would be the only points for NEC for the next 2:35 until Lacy got herself to the line that resulted in two made shots. During that slump CSC went on a 6-0 run giving the Chargers a 11-point lead at 4:41, 63-52. The next points for the 'Grims would come from none other than Moss laying the ball in the basket that would force a CSC timeout at 2:53 with the score still favoring CSC, 65-56. Mitchell and Moss would trade on buckets that would then be followed up with a layup by Freshman guard Lauren MacDonald (Tilton, N.H.) that would conclude the game for a Chargers victory over the 'Grims, 69-58.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Moss did all she could for the 'Grims being the nucleus of the team scoring the game-high of 22 points. Lacy ended the night with her first career double-double as a 'Grim of 12 points and 10 boards.
• CSC Mitchell was a big part of the win for the Chargers recording a double-double scoring 21 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. MacDonald would also finish with a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds.  
• Free throws proved to be pivotal part of the game that helped the Chargers come away with the win going 21-for-26 while the 'Grims were 8-for-14. Chargers fired on all cylinders in the first half going 12-for-12.
• Points off turnovers favored NEC on the night, 14-11.
• NEC made their presence known in the paint more effectively than the Chargers on the evening, 40-34.

UP NEXT

• Up next for NEC, the team will be back in Bridges for more GNAC action against the Monks of Saint Joseph's College of Maine at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, January 29^th.
• CSC will host the Johnson and Wales Wildcats from the Dan & Kathleen Hogan Sports Center at 1:00 PM on Saturday, January 25^th.

For continuing coverage of New England College Athletics, visit athletics.nec.edu and follow the Pilgrims on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.