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Dale Lougee

Smith Edged By Westfield State, 73-68

December 10, 2013

Box Score NORTHAMPTON, Mass.--Keri Doldoorian hit the go-ahead free throw, and the Westfield State University basketball team held Smith College scoreless in the final 2:05 in a 73-68 win in non-conference women's basketball action on Tuesday night.

The Pioneers fall to 2-5 on the season, while Westfield State improves to 4-3.

Smith was led by a season high 18 points from Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H./Portsmouth), who pulled down nine rebounds.  Paulina Solis (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) added 12 points and six assists, while Marissa Munoz-Ruiz (Fairfield, Calif./Justin-Siena) had eight points off the bench.

Westfield State got a solid game from Jen Ashton, who poured in 18 points, with seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals.  Doldoorian tossed in 16 points, while Gabby Felix had 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Forbasaw Nkamebo chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds in 17 minutes.

Smith struggled in the early going, connecting on just one of their first seven shots as the Owls ran out to an early 13-2 lead.  Alyssa Barrett (Berlin, Conn./Berlin), Solis, and Drummond each hit threes as part of an 11-4 run that pulled the Pioneers within four, but Ashton's triple at the 11:27 mark and a free throw from Felix restored Westfield's advantage to eight points (21-13).  

Over the next nine minutes, Smith soared ahead, outscoring the Owls 27-9 to take a 40-32 halftime lead.  Tia Karapoulios (Cypress, Calif./Cypress)' block on Felix set up the play that saw Solis hit a three at the other end, drawing Smith within two.  Munoz-Ruiz' layup at the 2:21 mark gave the Pioneers their biggest lead of the half at 34-28.

The second half began much like the first - the Pioneers missed the first four attempts of the half, while the Owls scored 12 straight points for a 44-40 lead.  Consecutive baskets by Drummond tied the score at 44, and from there, the teams traded buckets, with neither going up by more than two until Mandy Castro (San Diego, Calif./Poway)'s three with 8:26 to play gave Smith a 57-54 lead.  

Ashton's layup with 5:55 to play tied the game at 59, and Alyssa Darling hit a three on Westfield State's next possesion to put the Owls up 62-59.  Drummond responded with a three of her own the next time down the court, and the teams again traded baskets before Solis' basket with 2:05 to play put Smith up 68-67.  

Doldoorian put Westfield State in front with a pair of foul shots at the 1:47 mark, and Felix sunk a layup for a 71-68 advantage.  Drummond missed a three from the top of the arc and Ashton sealed the win with two free throws in the final seconds.

Smith is off until January 1, when the Pioneers travel to Middlebury College.  Westfield State will play once more in 2013, hosting UMass-Boston on December 12.


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