Westfield State holds off Springfield 69-60 in second game

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Sophomore guard Jaclyn Daigneault (Guilford, CT) and freshman guard Shannon Finucane (Cortland, NY) each scored 13 points as Amherst College remained unbeaten with a 69-38 victory over host Western New England College in the opening round game of the seventh annual Pioneer Valley Women's Hoop Classic Friday night (Dec. 5) at the Alumni Healthful Living Center.

The Lord Jeffs, ranked 13th nationally in the d3hoops.com poll, improved their record to 7-0 while the Golden Bears drop to the .500 mark at 3-3.

Amherst scored the first eight points of the game and never looked back in taking a 35-21 lead at halftime.

Sophomore guard Kristyn Dunleavy (East Setauket, NY) added nine points and four assists while freshman forward Lem Atanga McCormick (Chicago, IL) netted eight points. Sophomore guard Courtney Long (Norwich, CT) had a team high six rebounds while Daigneault pulled down five rebounds.

The Lord Jeffs shot 42.4% from the field and held a 39-32 edge off the boards.

Junior guard Kailah Al-Darraji (Dover, NH) had a solid performance for the Golden Bears with 10 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore forward Kelly McCormick (Manchester, CT) chipped in with eight points and four rebounds.

In the second game, senior guard Katie Sylvain (Hadley, MA) scored 16 points and made a clutch three-pointer in the final minute as Westfield State held off a late Springfield charge for a 69-60 victory.

Senior guard Lauren Sylvain (Hadley, MA) – Katie's twin sister – also tallied 16 points along with sophomore center Cassy Jouannet (Conway, MA) as the Owls improved to 5-1.

Westfield State led 34-19 at halftime and held a 22-point lead at 41-19 following a three-pointer by Lauren Sylvain with 16:58 left in the game. It appeared the Owls were going to cruise to an easy win when Lauren Sylvain hit a jumper for a 58-38 margin at the 8:35 mark.

The Pride staged a terrific comeback using a 15-2 run to get within 60-53 after a basket by freshman forward Cherelle Allen (New Britain, CT) with 3:47 left.  Lauren Sylvain hit another key three-pointer for a 10-point lead just 27 seconds later.

Freshman guard Meaghan Cavanaugh (Lowell, MA) drained a trey and Allen made a free throw to get Springfield within 63-57 with 2:46 remaining. But Katie Sylvain hit another three from the top of the key with 39 seconds remaining and then added three free throws in the final 29 seconds to seal the victory. She also contributed seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals in a top all-around performance. The Sylvain twins combined to make 7-of-10 three-pointers.

Cavanaugh and senior forward Corey Finch (Hanover, PA) each finished with 14 points while Allen pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds for the Pride (3-4).

Pioneer Valley Women's Hoop Classic

Friday, Dec. 5, 2008

6:00 p.m. - No. 13 Amherst 69, Western New England College 38
8:00 p.m. - Westfield State 69, Springfield 60

Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008

1:00 p.m. - Springfield vs. Western New England College
3:00 p.m. - Amherst vs. Westfield State