By Jim Fenton

WESTFIELD, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's basketball team has moved into first place at the midway point of its Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference schedule.

The Bears overcame a slow start and defeated Westfield State University, 81-68, Saturday afternoon to move ahead of the Owls in the conference standings.

BSU (12-6) is now 4-1 in the MASCAC while Westfield State (11-6) falls to 3-1 in the conference after having a four-game winning streak snapped.

The Bears have won five straight games following a five-game losing streak, and they improved to 3-1 on the road with the win at the Woodward Center.

BSU scored just four first-quarter points against Westfield State, but a 33-point second quarter enabled the Bears to climb back. BSU outscored the Owls, 77-53, over the final three quarters.

Senior Kylie Grassi (Plymouth, Mass.) was the BSU top scorer with 18 points to go with six rebounds and five assists. The all-time Bears' scoring leader, Grassi now has 1,534 points in her career.

Junior Haley Burchhardt (Schenectady, N.Y.) scored a season-high 16 points with six rebounds and made all eight of her foul shots.

Freshman Chloe Azoff (Sandwich, Mass.) cthipped in with 14 points, hitting three 3-pointers. Azoff scored her first career points on Wednesday against Fitchburg State, finishing with 16.

Graduate student Kylee Piche (Bridgewater, Mass.) was also in double figures with 10 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and four steals. Piche recorded her second double-double of the season.

Senior Arielle Cleveland (Groveland, Mass.) contributed seven points (3-for-3), eight rebounds and three assists and senior Jessica D'Amours (Feeding Hills, Mass.) added eight points, five rebounds and four blocks.

Senior Jordan Grant (Gray, Maine) led Westfield State with 21 points and nine rebounds while senior Olivia Hadla (Westfield, Mass.) added 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench.

BSU struggled at the start, getting just a pair of field goals in the first quarter and trailed, 15-4, after the opening 10 minutes.

The Bears managed a Grassi layup 1:58 into the game to make it 2-2 and a layup by senior Jordan Peebles (Middleboro, Mass.) with 2:31 to go to cut the deficit to 10-4.

BSU missed 14 of 16 shots and had seven turnovers in the quarter while Grant scored eight points for the Owls.

The Bears got their game going in the second quarter, getting even with Westfield State, 37-37, by halftime.

After being down 13 early in the second quarter and trailed, 25-14, with 7:33 left in the half, BSU made its move.

The Bears closed the half with a 10-2 run to tie the score, allowing only a pair of free throws by Hadla in the last four minutes.

In the final 1:46, Burchhardt hit two free throws and a jumper and Cleveland added a jumper.

BSU took the lead for good with 7:02 to go in the third quarter when it moved in front, 40-39, on two Grassi free throws.

The Bears went on a 14-3 run during the quarter and were up, 54-42, with 3:17 left, and two Grassi foul shots made it 57-45.

BSU took a 59-49 lead into the fourth quarter after holding the Owls to 12 points in the third quarter.

The Bears had a 13-point lead with 7:56 remaining after a Grassi foul shot, but the Owls moved within 64-58 with 6:28 left on a pair of Grant layups.

Freshman Lexi Thompson (New Bedford, Mass.) and Grassi responded with jumpers for a 68-58 lead and Burchhardt hit a 3-pointer to make it 71-60 with 3:15 to go.

After Westfield State closed within eight, Burchhardt connected on two foul shots for a 73-63 lead and Cleveland sealed it with a 3-pointer with 58 seconds remaining.

The Bears made 9 of 23 shots from 3-point range and shot 40 percent overall while the Owls were 6-for-23 and shot 32 percent overall.

BSU forced 23 turnovers, including 18 steals, while led to 26 points off turnovers.

BSU is off until Saturday at 2 p.m. when it is on the road to play Salem State University in the second half opener of the MASCAC schedule.

Westfield State, which lost for only the second time in eight home games, is at Salem State for a 7 p.m. game Wednesday.