WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (December 6, 2024) – The Western New England women's basketball team saw both Lilly Hedge and Shaina Cooney drop 13 points each on Friday night at the Williams College Shooting Touch Tournament, while Perry Blasetti and Caitlyn Hunt had eight of their own, defeating the Lancers of Worcester State University by a final score of 67-55.

Records:

• Western New England: 8-0
• Worcester State University: 4-5

How it Happened:

Western New England would come away with the first bucket of the game just a minute into the game as Shaina Cooney would quickly hook home a layup on an assist from Emma Novajasky to get the Golden Bears rolling early. Western New England would go on to take a 6-2 lead after Cooney would sink another layup while Lilly Hedge was on the scoreboard with a jumper from just inside the three-point line. Worcester State would hang with the Golden Bears for much of the game on Friday night, taking their first lead of the game at 11-9 when Katie Hurynowicz would connect on a three from the Lancers, giving WSU an 11-9 lead. Caitlyn Hunt would quickly answer with a jumper after taking a pass from Nora Young to tie the game at 11 with just under three minutes to play in the first quarter. The game would be tied after ten minutes of play, as neither team would be able to convert a bucket in the final minute of the frame. Western New England shot 40% from the field in the opening quarter, all six field goals coming from two-point range. Worcester State was 1/6 from deep but was successful down low, going 4/9.

Both teams would exchange points in the opening minute of the second quarter as Paige Winter would get to the rim and score her first two points of the night, which would tie the game at 15. WNE would hit their first three-ball of the night with 7:29 to play as Caitlyn Hunt would find an open Lilly Hedge, who would drop a triple through the net, which would give WNE a three-point lead, 20-17. Western New England would grow their lead to its highest of the night, five, when Colleen Furlong was on the board with a layup after the Golden Bears would get a steal from Perry Blasetti on the previous Worcester State possession. Western New England's largest first-half lead would be seven when Emma Novajasky would pick up a steal and a layup, giving the blue and gold a 28-21 lead. Worcester State would battle back in the final two minutes of the half, going on a 7-2 run, trailing by just two, 30-28, at the break. The second quarter saw the teams take 35 combined shots, 21 coming Western New England's way, who shot just over 38% from the field, grabbing three offensive rebounds. Worcester State would lead for just 14 seconds in the quarter while WNE's lead would hold for the majority of the frame.

It would be the Lancers who came around with the first triple of the quarter, taking their first lead since 15-13, leading 31-30 early. Lilly Hedge would quickly erase the Lancers lead with a layup for her ninth point of the night. Western New England would grow their lead back up to five after going on a 6-0 run with 7:29 to play in the third. Worcester State would continue to battle back, seeing Alana Smith hit a layup plus knock down a free throw after being fouled with 6:12 to play, getting the Lancers back within two, trailing 38-36. WSU would tie the game at 38 at the midway point of the quarter, though the Golden Bears would score the next point as Lilly Hedge and Hunt were on the scoreboard again, bringing Western New England's lead back up to four. Perry Blasetti would spark the Golden Bears in the final two minutes, getting a layup plus a foul shot to sink, picking up five points on the night. Western New England would pick up their largest lead of the night at eight after the Lancers would turn the ball over with eight seconds remaining while Erin Reen would find Shaina Cooney for a jumper that would sink just as time expired, giving the Golden Bears a 52-44 lead after three quarters of play. Cooney would lead all scorers with 13 points. Western New England would shoot 7/13 overall in the quarter.

Nora Young would open the Golden Bears up with a driving layup while also getting fouled and would convert the free throw, which gave Western New England a nine-point lead, 55-46. WNE would score next as Erin Reen would pick up her first two points of the night to build the lead to double figures for the first time on the night, leading 57-46. The Lancers would connect from three and would get WNE's lead back down to seven with 5:38 to play, though Blasetti would drive to the cup and pick up two points on the fourth assist of the night from Emma Novajasky, bringing the Golden Bears' lead back up to nine with five minutes to play. The Golden Bears would stay steady in the final five, hitting their free throws to maintain their double-digit lead. Western New England would hold Worcester State off the scoreboard for the final 2:44 of the game to come away with a 67-55 victory.

Inside the Lines:

• Both Lilly Hedge and Shaina Cooney recorded 13 points each in Western New England's 12-point win on Friday night. Hedge went for eight rebounds and two steals. Cooney picked up five rebounds and two assists.
• The Golden Bears closed out the fourth quarter by putting up a defensive stand on the Lancers while going 7/9 from the free throw line.
• As a team, the Golden Bears shot 43% from the field overall while making just one three-point shot on 14 attempts, their downfall in the game.
• Western New England out-rebounded Worcester State by just one, 39-38, overall in the contest.
• Both Caitlyn Hunt and Perry Blasetti had eight points each in the victory.
• Worcester State was led by Katie Hurynowicz, who dropped 16 points in the losing effort.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE will have less than 15 hours before their next game as they travel to Boston, Massachusetts, where the Leopards of Wentworth Institute of Technology will be waiting to host the Golden Bears on Saturday afternoon at noon.