MCLA Women's Basketball Wins Opener
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NORTH ADAMS, Mas. -- The MCLA women's basketball team got a 15-point, 15-rebound effort from sophomore Kayla Hotaling as the Trailblazers held off a stubborn Daniel Webster team 61-53 Saturday afternoon in the Amsler Campus Center in the season opener for both teams.
Hotaling helped MCLA hold a commanding 58-34 edge on the glass. Her efforts offset an outstanding performance from Ashley England, who notched a game high 23 points.
MCLA jumped ahead early in the opening half before going cold allowing DWU to take the lead. With the score at 7-4 in favor of the Trailblazers with 17:47 left in the opening half, MCLA did not score a point for the next nine minutes. Over that span they went 0-8 from the floor and committed nine turnovers.
Daniel Webster used the cold spell to double up MCLA at 14-7, which was their largest lead of the game.
MCLA freshman and Drury High graduate Emily Moulton finally broke the ice with a jumper with 8:41 to play until halftime. MCLA evenutally battled to tie the game at 20, before McKenzie Stone's free throws gave DWU a 22-20 halftime lead.
MCLA scored the first seven points out of the locker room and didn't trail again. Courtney McLaughlin scored four points in the run and MCLA went up 33-26 on a Hotaling layup with 15:24 to play. The visitors got within two on several occasions, however each time MCLA would extend back out.
With less than two minutes to play, MCLA led just 53-50. A Brayleigh Hanlon triple off an inbounds play pushed the lead to six and the Trailblazers were on their way.
England was 9-14 from the floor for the Eagles. Kayla Free chipped in with 9 points and a team high 11 rebounds.
Hotaling was just 5-13 from the floor and added a pair of blocked shots. Hanlon added 14 points including a pair of 3-pointers. Courtney Durivage collected 10 points off the bench.
MCLA was hampered by 26 turnovers while Daniel Webster contributed 19 of their own. Both teams shot an identical 20-60 from the floor.
The Trailblazers are back in action on Tuesday when they travel to WNE.
