Team Effort Leads Women's Basketball Past Framingham State, 64-52

Framingham, MA --- Senior Julie Frankian (Millbury, MA) netted 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds while classmate Shannen El-Qasem (Rutland, MA) poured in 11 points with nine boards as they both helped pace Worcester State to a 64-52 win over Framingham State in MASCAC women's basketball action this evening at the FSU Athletics Center.

With the win the Lancers end a four-game skid to improve to 12-7 and 3-3 in the MASCAC while he Rams fall to 11-6 (3-3 MASCAC). Both squads are now tied with Fitchburg State for third place after completing the first half of round robin play.

Freshman Nani Perez (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) handed out 10 assists with seven points as junior Bianca Langford (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) came off the bench to produce her 12th double-double in 19 games with 14 points and 11 caroms.

Senior Kiesha Jones (Worcester, MA/Doherty) chipped in 11 points for the Blue and Gold.

Sophomore Alicia Ratcliffe (Feeding Hills, MA) posted game highs of 20 points and five blocks to lead the charge for the Rams while sophomore Sarah Palace (Auburn, MA) finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Both players combined for six of their squads 10 swipes.

The Lancers doubled up their opponents 16-8 over the first 10 minutes of the first stanza before Ratcliffe sparked the hosts with five points in a 7-0 outburst to trail by one at the 7:45 mark (16-15).

After the Blue and Gold went back up 20-15 on the back of a Perez driving lay-up, Framingham State buried the games next three field goals and Rams took over the 21-20 margin with 1:51 on the clock.

Frankian helped WSU close out the frame with a 7-1 spurt by bookending a triple and two points in the paint to close out the frame by helping the Lancers claim the 27-22 lead into the intermission.

With the Lancers ahead by 10 points early in the second period, Palace and freshman Lauren Donohue (Attleboro, MA) drilled trifectas to help key a 10-2 run as the hosts were down 35-33 near as 16:00 read on the scoreboard.

Worcester State continued to maintain the four-point advantage at the 11:25 mark until Jones sandwiched jump shots between a Perez lay-up to open up a 50-40 advantage 90 seconds later.

Both squads went basket for basket down the stretch and the visitors maintained the three possession margin for the rest of the period.

WSU held the 58-50 margin with 4:05 remaining in regulation and outscored their opponents 6-2 the rest of the way. Framingham State did not hit another field goal (three attempts) and coughed up the ball once despite two rejections by Ratcliffe in the closing minutes to keep the visitors at bay.

The Lancers shot 44 percent for the game (27-for-62) and sank half of their shots in the second period (16-for-32). Worcester State also held margins in rebounds (46-37), offensive caroms (15-14) and points in the paint (24-12).

Framingham State was held to under 30 percent in the contest (18-for-61) and hit only two of their 13 bids from beyond the arc, but made the most of their opponents 16 miscues, holding a 15-14 margin in points off of turnovers.

FSU also kept pace with the Blue and Gold throughout the contest by nailing 14 of 20 tries at the free throw line (70 percent).

Worcester State has they bye over the weekend and will host MCLA this Tuesday in a 6 PM affair at Nichols. The Rams head to Westfield State on Saturday with a 1 o'clock tip-off as they try to had the Owls their first loss in conference play.