Falcons Fall To Mariners At WestConn Holiday Tournament

Danbury, Conn. – The Fitchburg State University Women's Basketball team dropped a 92-44 decision to the Mariners of Mitchell College this evening in opening round action of the 2022 Western Connecticut State Holiday Tournament from the Feldman Arena.

 The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 44, Mitchell 92

Records: Fitchburg State (2-8, 0-0 MASCAC) I Mitchell (4-7, 0-0 NECC)

How It Happened

1st quarter

Mitchell opened the contest on a 9-0 run, capped by a three pointer from senior Sam McKenna (Millbrook, N.Y.) before Fitchburg State answered with a three ball by junior Olivia Almeida (Wilmington, Mass.) to make the score 9-3.

The Mariners pushed the lead to 25-3 to end the first quarter, going on a 13-0 stretch on back-to-back three's by McKenna and freshman Jemya Beddoe (New London, Conn,).              

2nd quarter

Mitchell upped the advantage to 29-3 as senior Amina Wiley (New Rochelle, N.Y.), but the Falcons responded with buckets from sophomore Stephanie Hart (Shirley, Mass.) and senior Lindsay McDonald (Stoughton, Mass.) to trim the lead to 34-8.

The Green and Gold trimmed the led to 40-15 as McDonald and Hart notched jumpers, while sophomore Kathryn Hart (Shirley Mass.) added a free throw before the Mariners took a 45-19 edge going into the break on a Tatyana Gales (Upper Marlboro, Md.) layup.                    

3rd quarter

Following the intermission, Fitchburg State cut the deficit to 49-25 on layups by sophomores Ephemian Bailey (Maple Grove, Minn.) and Rylie Harlow (Hanson, Mass.). The Falcons continued to battle with Bailey netting a layup and S. Hart draining a three pointer (51-30), but grabbed a 70-41 advantage into the fourth quarter as Gales connected on a three-ball.

4th quarter

Following a free-throw by S. Hart (76-42), Mitchell extended the lead to 90-42 as senior Jermia Dumas (Stratford, Conn.) netted three consecutive buckets. Fitchburg State answered with a Juliana Davis (Templeton, Mass.) layup before the Mariners closed out the scoring on a Dumas basket, resulting in the 92-44 final.

Inside the Numbers

• Falcons were led by Harlow with a team-best nine points, three rebounds, three assists and one steal
• Bailey added seven points, five caroms and three blocks
• For the Mariners, Wiley finished with a game best 24 points, nine boards, two assists, two blocks and one steal
• McKenna chipped in with 17 points, five rebounds and two steals
• This evening's contest marked the first ever meeting between the Mariners and the Falcons on the hardwood
• Fitchburg State shot 16-for-45 (35.6%) from the field and (2-of-13) % from downtown
• Mitchell went 36-of-79 (45.6%) overall and (12-for-39) 30.8% for beyond the arc
• Mariners finished with a 52-32 margin on the glass

Up Next

Falcons return to action tomorrow as they take on the Wolves of Western Connecticut State in second round action of the 2022 Har City Tournament, hosted by Western Connecticut State, starting at 3:00 PM.