MILTON, Mass. (February 15, 2025) – The Western New England women's basketball team outscored the hosting Colonels of Curry College 19-7 in the first ten minutes of the game and then again 25-10 in the second quarter, well on their way to a 72-42 victory on Saturday afternoon in Conference of New England action, leading WNE to their 12th straight win on the season.

Records:

• ·       Western New England: 21-1, 14-1 CNE
• ·       Curry College: 7-15, 4-11 CNE

Curry would win the tip in the game and would score on their first shot attempt of the game and would start 2/2 out of the gates in the game. Lilly Hedge scored Western New England's first bucket of the game, followed by a bucket by Shaina Cooney, who recorded her 1,000th career point on Tuesday night at the Anthony S. Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center, becoming the 18th member of WNE women's basketball to accomplish that feat. Curry would stick around, leading 5-4 before the Golden Bears would go on an 8-0 run, as Hedge and Cooney combined for six of the eight points while Emma Novajasky was on the scoreboard for the first time in the game, giving Western New England a 12-5 lead with 5:34 to play in the opening quarter. The Golden Bears would continue to score as Cooney would quickly reach six points in the game, getting a hoop on an assist from Nora Young, while Novajasky would hit from deep with 3:48 to play, giving Western New England their first double-digit lead of the game. Emma Kahn would hit two free throws to close out the scoring for WNE in the first quarter, who led Curry 19-7 after the first ten minutes of play. WNE shot over 43% from the field in the opening frame, while Curry's quick two field goals to open the game were the only makes the Colonels would have from the field. Western New England grabbed 11 rebounds to Curry's four in the opening ten.

The Colonels would grab their first field goal in nearly ten minutes of game action to start the second quarter as Lauren Morse chucked up a triple that would fall through the netting, getting Curry back within nine points. Perry Blasetti would sink a layup plus a foul shot on the next possession of the second quarter for the Golden Bears, which would put the blue and gold ahead 22-10. Kahn would follow suit for Western New England, also recording a layup while being fouled, extending Western New England's lead to 15, its largest of the game thus far, with still 7:14 to play in the quarter. A 9-0 run for WNE would be capped by a Lilly Hedge three-point shot, who was up to nine points in the game with 6:55 to play, giving the blue and gold a 28-10 lead. Western New England would continue their offensive production as Hedge would finish the half with 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists in the opening half overall. WNE would dominate the Colonels in the second quarter, allowing just ten points overall while scoring 25 themselves to take a 44-17 lead after two quarters of play. The Golden Bears were red hot from the field in the second quarter, shooting 10/15 overall from the floor, making two free throws. Western New England was a perfect 8/8 inside the two-point range overall. Six of ten buckets for WNE had assists while the Golden Bears out-rebounded Curry again in the second quarter, this time, 7-3.

The third quarter brought more success for the Golden Bears, who dropped the first five points of the quarter as Shaina Cooney and Emma Novajasky would reach double figures quickly. Lilly Hedge would get back on the board with a driving layup on an assist from Cooney, giving Western New England a dominant 51-20 lead with still 7:22 to play in the third. Cooney would finish the third quarter with 14 points while Perry Blasetti would heat up from the field, dropping a triple with 2:49 left, scoring ten points through the third quarter. The Golden Bears would hold onto their dominant third quarter lead, taking a 60-28 lead after three quarters of play. Both teams would hit two threes each in the frame, but WNE would outscore the Colonels 16-11 overall.

The final quarter of the game brought an early run from Curry, scoring eight points to open the quarter with WNE not being able to score any. Kylie McCarthy and Lauren Reen had triples for Curry, bringing WNE's lead down to 24, 60-36. Western New England would find their shooting game, led by Emma Novajasky, who had the first five WNE points in the fourth, coming up with 15 points on the afternoon. Erin Reen, Sophie Hedge, and Devlyn McDonald would have the final three baskets for Western New England, who came away with a 32-point win, 72-40.

Inside the Lines:

• ·      Four Golden Bears were in double figures on the afternoon, including Lilly Hedge, who had a game-high 16 points on 6/12 shooting, going 2/4 from deep. Hedge also collected seven rebounds and four assists to go along with two blocks in the win.
• ·      Emma Novajasky scored a season-high 15 points on the afternoon, shooting 5/8 from the field, grabbing six rebounds, and getting a steal.
• ·      Shaina Cooney, coming off her 1,000-point performance, dropped 14 points and collected six rebounds in the win.
• ·      Perry Blasetti was also in double figures for Western New England with ten points.
• ·      Western New England shot 44% overall from the field, dropping seven threes. WNE was 13/14 from the free throw line.
• ·      WNE out-rebounded Curry 37-28 in the game. Curry shot just 28% overall from the floor.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• ·      Western New England will look to continue their 12-game win streak in their final regular season road contest on Wednesday. February 19 at 5:30 PM, traveling to Gordon College.