Women's Basketball Toppled by Westfield State 76-71

Westfield, Mass. – Senior guard Kristen Hoffman (Foxboro, Mass.) poured in a team-high 17 points but the Framingham State University could not overcome a 20-2 second half run but the Owls as Westfield State University defeated the Rams 76-71 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) opener.

Westfield received a game-high 27 points from guard Jen Ashton (Beverly, Mass.) as the Owls improve to 1-0 in the MASCAC and 7-5 overall with the key early season victory. Framingham is now 0-1 in the conference and 6-6 overall. 

Hoffman led four Rams in double figures as she finished with her 17 on 4 of 11 from behind the arc.  Freshman forward Alycia Rackliffe (Feeding Hills, Mass.) chipped in with 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, while juniors Nicole Bostic (Easton, Mass.) and Margo McCarthy (Northampton, Mass.) contributed 10 apiece.  Junior guard Johanna Annunziata (Auburn, Mass.) handed out a game-best 11 assists.

Led again by the trio of Ashton (27 points, five assists, four steals), junior center Gabby Felix (Springfield, Mass.) (13 points, nine rebounds) and sophomore guard Keri Doldoorian (Whitinsville, Mass.) (15 points, eight assists), the Owls rallied from a 11-point deficit with some hot second-half shooting. 

Westfield shot 62 percent (16-26) from the field in the second half, including 5 for 8 from 3-point range. Trailing 54-43 with 15:03 remaining, the Owls went on their 20-2 scoring surge to take a seven-point lead five minutes later. Westfield scored 12 straight points in a 2:24 span for a 55-54 lead, and took its biggest lead of the second half, 63-56, with 10:12 remaining. The Rams had opened the second half with a 9-3 run to extend their lead.

Ashton assisted in sealing the victory with two long-range bombs in the closing minutes. Her 3-point basket with 2:56 remaining gave Westfield a 70-64 lead. Framingham scored five straight points including three free throws by McCarthy to close within a point, but Ashton drained her biggest three-ball for a 73-69 Owl advantage at the 1:35 mark. 

A jumper in the paint by Rackliffe made it 73-71 at the 1:14 mark. But a Felix layup with 15 seconds remaining followed by a Framingham turnover sealed the victory.

Westfield did take an early 17-11 lead but Framingham scored 29 points in the final 11 minutes of the first half for a 40-36 intermission edge, with Felix and sophomore starting forward Forbasaw Nkamebo saddled with foul trouble. 

The Rams, who shot 37 percent from the floor in both halves and were 7 for 22 from beyond the arc, return to action on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Fitchburg State University for a 1 p.m. MASCAC contest.

Portions of release courtesy of WSU Sports Information.