After a slow start with the score knotted at 7-7 nearly seven minutes into the game, Mount Holyoke surged ahead with 11 unanswered points over the next five minutes of play, including three fast-break lay-ups. Elms completed just 18.2% (6-of-33) of its field goal attempts for the period. The Lyons also sunk 10-for-12 from the charity stripe to close out the half with a 12-point edge, 28-16.
Elms got off to a strong start in the second period, decreasing its deficit to nine points on back-to-back lay-ups by Jenn Payton (Stratford, Conn.) in the first three minutes. Mount Holyoke responded with a 20-9 run to make it a 20-point game at the 8:59 mark, 51-31. Elms outscored MHC, 8-3, down the stretch, but it wasn’t enough as the Lyons captured the non-conference win.
Mount Holyoke’s Angela Astuccio (Foxboro, Mass.) led all scorers with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor. First-year Jessica Olson (Gilbert, Ariz.) notched a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Senior Joeanna Silvey (Boston, Mass.) netted 12 points and five steals. The Lyons completed 39% of their shots from the field (23-of-59).
For Elms, Payton led the Blazers with 14 points. First-year Amanda Brogna (Oxford, Mass.) pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds and chipped in seven points. Elms shot 30% (18-of-60) from the floor and just 19% (4-of-21) from 3-point range.
Mount Holyoke next travels to Haverford College for the Seven Sisters Championship, December 1-3. The Lyons will face Bryn Mawr College on December 1 at 1:00 p.m. in their first match of the tournament.