Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Brittany Ely (Montrose, Montrose) scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds but Wilkes University's second half rally fell short after getting behind early in the Lady Colonels 69-56 women's basketball loss to Western New England College in the opening game at the Golden Bear Hoops Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts.

After trading baskets in the game's first four minutes, Western New England jumped out to a 13-5 lead before the Lady Colonels (1-1) brought their deficit back down to four points with 12:22 left in the first half.

The Golden Bears then responded with an 11-2 run over the next 6:20 to go on top 24-11 before stretching their lead to 34-20 heading into the locker room at halftime.

Western New England then pushed its lead to 21 points at the 12:09 mark in the second, but the Lady Colonels rallied to get it back to within 14 points at 54-40 less than three minutes later. Another Golden Bears run put them on top by 21 points again, but Wilkes came back another time, getting to within 13 points with 2:31. But the rally was too late as Western New England held the lead for the victory.

Shelby Van Huysen led all Golden Bears with 19 points, hitting 5-of-7 three-pointers while Elena Radzikowski chipped in with 17 points.

Ely got her first double-double of the season, getting six of her 13 boards on the offensive end, adding three steals and two assists. Megan Kazmerski (Kingston, Holy Redeemer) added 12 points and eight rebounds while Angela Palmerio (Telford, Lansdale Catholic) scored 13 points, hitting all three of her three-pointers, in 24 minutes off the bench.

The Lady Colonels will now play either MIT or Massachusetts College on Saturday afternoon in the tournament's consolation game.