Box Score WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – Despite an early lead, Williams fell to Tufts (21-0) by a score of 64-45 after the Jumbos went on a second half run led by Hannah Foley. This is the Ephs' first loss in seven games, bringing their record to 19-3 in their last home game of the regular season.
Foley led overall in scoring for both teams, nabbing 22 points and shooting 3 for 4 from behind the three-point line. For the Ephs, Ellen Cook and Oge Uwanaka had 16 and 15 points respectively. Uwanaka would also grab 14 rebounds this afternoon, helping bring the Ephs' total rebounds to 40 to the Jumbos' 42.
The two teams found themselves deadlocked for the first minutes of play, as neither team gained a lead greater than two until the 16:25 mark when Oge Uwanaka sunk two free throws to bring the score to 9-6 in Williams' favor. The Ephs would not be able to extend this three point lead by too much or for too long due to Tufts' aggressive defense and clutch shooting from beyond the three point line. Because of the pressure that both teams were utilizing defensively, both Tufts and Williams took their turns at the foul line. With three foul shots from Hannah Foley, Tufts battled back within two of Williams before the 11-minute mark, and then capitalized at the line again only moments later to bring the score to 23-21. With just over seven minutes remaining in the first half, three of the Ephs' starters found themselves with two fouls.
Despite being in foul trouble, Williams kept up the pressure defensively and forced a turnover just before Tufts could grab the lead for the first time in eleven minutes. With the score at 25-24, Eph Kellie Macdonald had the chance to extend the home team's lead at the foul line and sunk both of her free throws. However, shortly thereafter a three-pointer by Foley followed by a layup by Hayley Kanner put the Jumbos on top with just under five minutes to play in the half.
Tufts held on to their lead, managing to extend it to four when Kelsey Morehead threaded the needle to Michela North who had managed to back door her defender. The Ephs would not score in those last five minutes of play, and the first half would close out with the score at 31-27 in the Jumbos' favor. The leaders for the first half in scoring were Ellen Cook for the Ephs with eight points and Foley for the Jumbos with thirteen. Uwanaka led on the boards, grabbing six rebounds in the half.
Early into the second half, the Jumbos grabbed the largest lead of the game when Foley sunk a three-pointer to bring the score to 34-27. However, Williams found success at the foul line, battling back to within one point of Tufts with four free throws from Uwanaka and two from Cook. Tufts came back with an eleven-point run jumpstarted by a strong play in the paint by Kanner, bringing the score to 45-33. Cook responded by driving hard to the hoop, and helping the Ephs avoid slipping too far behind the Jumbos. However, Tufts managed to extend their lead to fifteen before the ten-minute mark.
Tufts continued to push the ball hard, finding open looks under the hoop and scoring off of unassisted drives. Foley would score a third of the Jumbos' points in the first ten minutes of the second half. Williams went a seven-minute period without scoring, until just before the six-minute mark when Uwanaka grabbed a rebound and followed it up with strong layup. With the score at 58-39, Williams had just over five minutes to make up their deficit. Uwanaka would play her part in the comeback effort, scoring the Ephs' next six points. However, with 1:26 remaining, Williams found themselves down by almost twenty points, and they could not overcome Tufts' strong second half showing.
In the second half, Foley again led for the Jumbos, while Uwanaka led for the Ephs, with nine and ten points respectively. Uwanaka would lead in rebounds as well, grabbing eight in the second half. Said coach Pat Manning, "Tufts is a very good team, they have a lot of depth and they play great defense." With respect to the Jumbos' defense, Manning said, "They definitely make it hard to score, but I feel that we had offensive opportunities today and we couldn't quite capitalize to the best of our ability." Manning says her team is looking forward to two important games next weekend, and that this week will be important for regrouping and preparing to take on two NESCAC foes.
The Ephs next take on Connecticut College away at 6 P.M. on Friday.
