MCLA Leaps Past Fitchburg State, 60-54

Goreham and Proffitt pace Falcons with team-best nine points apiece

FITCHBURG, Mass. (February 15, 2011) – Junior Jen Wehner (Cooperstown, N.Y./Cooperstown) registered her third 20/20 game of the season posting a game-high 24 points and 21 rebounds as the MCLA women's basketball team collected a 60-54 victory over Fitchburg State University in MASCAC action this evening.

Wehner shot 60.0% from the floor, hitting 9-of-15 attempts in her double, while adding a 5-of-6 effort from the charity stripe. Sophomore Lucy Tremblay (E. Greenbush, N.Y./Columbia) also hit double-figures with ten points and four rebounds, while junior Olivia McMullen (Broadalbin, N.Y./Boradalbin-Perth) chipped in with nine points and three steals off the bench.

For the Falcons, junior Rebecca Goreham (Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) and senior Melissa Proffitt (Hubbardston, Mass./Quabbin Regional) paced the offensive attack, totaling nine points apiece, while senior Kelley Rogers (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) and freshman Amy Fahey (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) both added eight in the setback.

In the first half, Fitchburg State grabbed a slim two point advantage (25-23) using a balanced attack with six different players netting baskets. Rogers, Molly Maloney (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) and Kim Duprey (Bernardston, Mass./Pioneer Valley) paved the way with five points apiece, while Fahey added four with 2-of-4 shooting from the field. Wehner led the Trailblazers with eight points and nine boards in the period.

In the second half, Fitchburg State came out firing, scoring the first nine points of the frame to build its largest lead of the night at 34-23 with 18:23 to play. After MCLA cut the lead to three on a few occasions, the Falcons would push the lead back to nine (48-39) at the 8:30 mark.

MCLA answered again however, using a 10-1 run to knot the game at 49-49 with 4:55 remaining in regulation. Wehner sparked the Trailblazers with a conventional three-point play and a jumper from beyond the arc. The junior center also added two free throws in the spurt before MCLA grabbed their first lead of the half on a pair of McMullen free throws,

Fitchburg State responded on the very next possession as Goreham tied the game with a jumper, but another McMullen free throw put MCLA on top for keeps.  MCLA would go on to hold the Falcons scoreless the rest of the way to earn its seventh conference victory.

Fitchburg State (11-11, 5-6 MASCAC) will be in action again on Saturday as it travels to Westfield State at 1 p.m. MCLA (15-8, 7-4 MASCAC) will host Bridgewater State University on Saturday at 1 p.m.

CLICK HERE FOR BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY 

MCLA 60, Fitchburg State 54