PRIDE CRUISE PAST BLAZERS 67-39 FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT CONFERENCE WIN

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College freshman forward Denisha Parks (Fall River, Mass.) scored a game-high 15 points and added a game-best eight rebounds but Regis College used a 13-point effort from Claire Ramonas (Portland, Maine) and Janaya Bradley (New Haven, Conn.) scored nine of the Pride's 25 bench points to spark a 67-39 victory in Thursday evening's New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) women's basketball game at Picknelly Arena.

With the loss, Elms slips to 7-5 on the season, 4-1 in league play. Regis improves to 8-3 overall, and remains unbeaten in NECC action at 5-0.

Trailing 7-6 7:19 into the game, Blazers' senior forward Erika Murphy (Torrington, Conn.) swished a pair of free throws to give Elms a 8-7 lead. Regis' Stephanie Crawford (Rockland, Mass.) drained a three-pointer to ignite a 21-6 run that gave the Pride a 28-14 lead with 4:56 remaining in the first stanza.

Parks completed a layup and a free throw to pull the Blazers to within 11 at 28-17, but a strike from beyond the arc by Teresa Busiek (Arlington, Mass.) and a jumper by Dana Sparks (Orlando, Fla.) extended Regis' lead to 18 (35-17) at intermission.

Busiek and Ramonas scored eight points each in the opening 20 minutes as the Pride shot at a 46.9-percent clip in the frame. Murphy and Parks scored eight and seven points respectively to combine for 15 of Elms' 17 first half points.

The Pride used a 15-6 run over the first 6:48 of the second half to stake a commanding 27-point lead. Stephanie Wozmak (Auburn, N.H.) swished a trey and Lauren Kimble (Orinda, Calif.) added two triples of her own during the stretch to give Regis its 50-23 cushion.

The Pride never allowed Elms to cut its deficit to less than 21 for the remainder of the game and Bradley's layup with 1:12 to play gave Regis its largest lead of the game – 28 points – and capped the scoring in the contest at 67-39.

Parks finished with a game-high eight rebounds, while Murphy added seven boards in the losing effort.

Busiek, Wozmak, and Kimble each contributed a pair of three-pointers as Busiek finished with 10 points, while Wozmak and Kimble added eight each.

Ramonas added four assists, three steals and a pair of blocked shots in the win, while Wozmak and Crawford dished out three helpers apiece.

Regis posted a 34-18 advantage in the paint and scored 21 points off turnovers compared to four by Elms. The Pride also outscored the Blazers 25-6 off the bench to help seal the win.

Elms returns to NECC action on Saturday, Jan. 14 when it hosts Newbury College at 4:00 p.m. at Picknelly Arena. The Pride is set to take on Wheelock College in its next match-up at the Higgins Gymnasium and is set for a 1:00 p.m. start.

Story courtesy of Elm's College Sport Information