Women's Hoops Sinks Mitchell for First Conference Victory of the Season

NEW LONDON, Conn. - The Elms College Women's Basketball team traveled to Mitchell College for a conference game on Saturday afternoon.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 71 | Mitchell College 53
Records: Blazers 5-11, 1-2 (GNAC) | Mariners 2-10, 0-3 (GNAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Elms came out strong defensively to open the first quarter, forcing early turnovers and limiting scoring opportunities. Senior forward/center Talia Uribe (Worcester, Mass.) put the Blazers on the board first after an offensive rebound by junior guard/forward Sophia Andrade (Southwick, Mass.), finishing a layup to give Elms a 2–0 lead. The Blazers continued to apply pressure, creating steals and second-chance looks, and regained momentum when first year guard Sanaii Diaz (Worcester, Mass.) answered a three with a jumper to make it 4–3. Elms would extend their lead through hustle and rebounding, as first year forward Devynn Watford (Billerica, Mass.) made an immediate impact off the bench. After securing multiple offensive rebounds, Watford converted a tip-in and later added another basket to push the lead to 8–5. Junior forward Tatiana Pereira (Providence, R.I.) followed with a strong finish in the paint, helping the Blazers maintain control while the defense held firm and forced tough shots. Later in the quarter the Elms offense continued to build separation with balanced scoring and ball movement. Watford knocked down a jumper off a Pereira assist, sophomore forward/center Mary Turco (Winthrop, Mass.) finished inside, and the Blazers closed the half on a high note when senior guard Kelly LeBel (Tolland, Conn.) drained a three-pointer in the final seconds. Elms carried a commanding 17–7 lead into the second quarter, fueled by defensive intensity, dominance on the boards, and timely contributions from across the lineup. The Blazers would open the second quarter up 17–7 and continued to control the tempo with strong defense and rebounding. After a brief scoreless stretch, Turco knocked down a jumper off a Uribe assist to extend the lead to 19–9. Elms stayed aggressive on the glass, earning trips to the line as Uribe and first year guard Sam Gomes (Worcester, Mass.) each added free throws to make it 21–9. Uribe also sparked the defense with a steal, helping the Blazers maintain momentum midway through the quarter. As the period progressed, Elms relied on balance and depth to keep separation. Uribe converted another free throw following an offensive rebound, and despite a few turnovers, the Blazers responded with timely plays. After a quick Elms timeout, sophomore guard Gabby Wasiewicz (Worcester, Mass.) provided an instant spark, drilling back-to-back three-pointers, one assisted by LeBel and another by first year guard Malinna Figueroa (Waterbury, Conn.), to push the lead to 28–21. Turco added a strong finish inside off another Uribe assist, and Figueroa closed the quarter with a layup in the final two minutes. The Blazer would go into the halftime break leading 33–29, highlighted by hustle plays, offensive rebounding, and key perimeter shooting.

Elms opened the third quarter with strong interior play and defensive rebounding to extend its halftime momentum. Uribe set the tone early, finishing a layup off a Turco assist to push the lead to 35–29. The Blazers would continue to control the paint, with solid defensive rebounds from Turco and Andrade limiting second-chance opportunities. After a brief scoring stretch, Figueroa knocked down a three-point shot off a Diaz assist, followed by another Uribe layup to make it 40–33. Midway through the quarter, Elms would take control on both ends of the floor. Pereira made an immediate impact, converting a layup after forcing a turnover and later adding another basket off a Turco assist. Uribe stayed relentless on the glass, turning her own offensive rebounds into back-to-back tip-ins, helping the Blazers would stretch the lead to 46–33. Figueroa added her second three-point shot of the quarter, this one assisted by Uribe, as Elms would continue to find success from the perimeter and inside. Late in the quarter, the Blazers would maintaine its composure and depth. Despite a few missed looks, Elms would respond with more hustle plays, including defensive rebounds by Gomes and blocks from Turco. Uribe added another tip-in to reach 53 points for the Blazers, and Turco capped the quarter with a layup in the final minute off a Pereira assist. Elms closed the third quarter with a commanding 55–38 lead, fueled by rebounding dominance, ball movement, and consistent scoring across the lineup. Elms opened the fourth quarter by continuing to attack inside and control the glass. Turco scored four quick points, finishing a layup off a Pereira assist and following her own miss with a strong tip-in to extend the lead to 59–38. Gomes and Turco anchored the defense early, securing rebounds and limiting second-chance opportunities while Elms maintained its composure on offense. Midway through the quarter, the Blazers responded to a brief scoring push with steady execution. Turco converted another layup off a Gomes assist, and after a defensive stop, she came up with a steal that led to another basket in transition, pushing the advantage to 63–48. Diaz added points at the free-throw line, and Elms continued to move the ball effectively to find high-percentage looks in the paint. Down the stretch, the Blazers would close the game with depth and effort plays. Turco remained a presence inside, finishing multiple layups off Pereira assists, while the bench contributed strong rebounding and energy in the final minutes. First year forward Zuleily Lopez (Worcester, Mass.) capped the night with a layup off a LeBel assist in the closing seconds as Elms would pull away for a 71–53 victory, sealing the win with consistent interior scoring, rebounding, and balanced team play for their first conference victory of the season.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Turco - 20 points, nine rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block.

• Uribe - 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

• Pereira - nine rebounds, six points, five assists, and a steal.

• Figueroa - eight points, six rebounds, and three assists.

• Watford - six points and four rebounds.

• Wasiewicz - six points and a rebound.

• Diaz - four points, three rebounds, a steal, and an assist.

• Gomes - four rebounds, a point, a steal, and an assist.

• LeBel - three points, two rebounds, and two assists.

• Lopez - three rebounds and two points.

• Andrade - two rebounds.

• McKoy - two rebounds.

• Glover - a rebound.

UP NEXT: The Elms College Women's Basketball team will travel to New Haven, Conn. for a conference game against Albertus Magnus College on Tuesday, January 20th at 5:30 pm.

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