NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The women's basketball team travelled to Albertus Magnus and earned their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) win on a Saturday afternoon.
The first period was back and forth for 10 minutes. Senior Ajayah Lively (Victorville, Calif.) started the momentum with two quick scores from a jump shot and layup. The 'Grims then took the lead with a jump shot from junior Bailey Burke (New Bedford, Mass.). The Falcons then made a lead of four which they kept the remainder of the period, leading NEC 18-16.
Albertus Magnus increased their lead to five after a three-pointer was good by Isabella Fiorillo. With a little over three minutes left until halftime the 'Grims began their comeback, junior Jayden Estrada (La Mirada, Calif.) made a jump shot after a defensive rebound from Lively to cut the lead to two. 27 seconds later Estrada struck again this time outside the arc to take the lead by one. With a foul called on Lewis sent Adriana DeBernardo to the line who went 1-2 on the line which made the game tied. With the game tied Lewis executed a defensive rebound giving NEC the ball, 18.7 seconds left and the shot clock off junior Xitlali Montesino (Watsonville, Calif.) cut through the paint to the left corner giving her a chance to set up for a shot. She then gave the ball to Estrada who charged through the left lane and passed the ball back to Montesino who got the three off at the buzzer to take the lead 28-25.
Once the 'Grims retained the lead at the end of the period, they did not give it back to the Falcons. Montesino added to her stats line with a jump shot to start the third period. Then Lewis by herself went for six with a made layup and four made free-throws in a minute and ten seconds. Estrada got in there with a three-to-take the score to 39-31 from an assist by Lewis. To gain their largest lead of the game Burke attempted and succeeded in a steal leading to a fast break jump shot, making the score 41-31. At the end of the third, both Estrada and Lewis scored six taking the 'Grims into the final quarter.
To start the fourth, the Falcons started with two layups to bring them within three. This is what started the back-and-forth scoring between the two teams. Halfway through the period, senior Macy Gordon (Boscawen, N.H.) made two good free throws which were then matched by two free throws by the Falcons less than a minute later. Coming down the line, NEC stacked their lead with another three by Estrada taking the lead to six. To end the game, the Falcons made their last second layup to bring the score 61-56.
Estrada led the team with 16 points and 4-7 points from the arc. Lewis had a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Today's game brings Estrada into first with 3PT Pct in the conference with 48.5% and Lewis sits fourth with 11.1 rebounds per game.
The team will host Colby-Sawyer College on Tuesday at 5:00 PM, which will also be Henniker Youth Night.
For continuing coverage of New England College Athletics, visit athletics.nec.edu and follow the Pilgrims on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
