WORCESTER, Mass. -- The visiting Bridgewater State University women's basketball team dropped a 70-62 decision to host Worcester State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contest on Saturday afternoon at Lancer Gym.
The host Lancers improve to 11-12 on the season and 7-3 in the MASCAC, while the Bears fall to 10-13 overall and 5-5 in conference play.
Sophomore center Britt Herring (Brookfield, Mass.) led the way for the Lancers with a double-double as she scored a game-high 23 points on 11-16 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Freshman guard Catherine Sweeney (Lowell, Mass.) also recorded a double-double for the hosts with 14 points and ten boards, while junior guard Brianna Hackett (Hollis, N.H.) added 12 points and senior forward Bianca Langford (Worcester, Mass.) pulled down a game-best 12 rebounds.
Senior forward Jennie Lindland (Edgartown, Mass.) paced the Bears with 19 points on 7-12 shooting. Junior forward Rhiana Page (Brookline, Mass.) added 14 points and six rebounds, while sophomore guard Sara DaSilva (Chelmsford, Mass.) contributed ten points.
Bridgewater was seemingly in command of the game after one quarter of play as the Bears outscored the Lancers 29-15 in the opening period. The visitors, however, went cold in the second quarter as they scored just four points and trailed 40-33 at the break.
Worcester used a 9-2 run to open the third period to take a 49-35 lead. All told, the Lancers outscored the Bears, 34-4, from the start of the second quarter through the 4 1/2 minute mark of the third.
Bridgewater scored the final eight points of the third quarter on six free throws and a Page layup to make it a six-point game (49-43). Junior guard Megan Ianiro (Ashland, Mass.) opened the fourth quarter with a layup to cap off the 10-0 run and pull the Bears to within four (49-45). That, however, would be as close as they would get.
Worcester answered with a 9-2 run to extend the lead back to double digits at 58-47 with 6:29 left to play.
Bridgewater got to within six points on three separate occasions over the last five minutes. A Page layup made the score 68-62 with just 37 seconds remaining.
Out of a timeout, the Bears forced a turnover and had two chances to cut into the deficit but were unable to convert. Hackett knocked down a pair of free throws with eight seconds left to seal the victory for the Lancers.
Worcester shot 48% (27-56) from the floor, but went 14-for-27 (52%) at the free throw line. Bridgewater converted on just 32% (22-68) of its field goal attempts. The Bears did, however, manage to connect on 15 of 17 (88%) attempts from the charity stripe.
The Lancers held a decided 52-32 rebounding advantage including an 18-13 edge off the offensive glass.
The Bears turned the ball over just nine times while forcing 23 miscues which turned into a 19-9 difference in points off turnovers.
The MASCAC schedule continues for both teams on Wednesday night at 7:30. Bridgewater travels to Westfield State University, while Worcester hosts Framingham State University.