By Nina Hutchins
Blake Arena was alive with reignited energy as Springfield College women’s basketball took the court for its long-awaited home opener against Endicott on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The Pride fed off the energy of the home crowd, turning months of preparation into performance. The results of their hard preseason work was evident as they charged into their first win of the season, with a final scoreboard of 71-59.
From tip-off, the Pride played with confidence and chemistry, moving the ball with purpose to find open shots. After the first minute, they held a lead for the rest of the competition. Natalie Lucas set the tone, dominating on both ends of the court as she notched a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds to fuel the victory.
Lucas and Amanda Leary became an unstoppable duo as their leadership on the floor powered the team’s performance. On the stat sheet, the two combined for 42 of Springfield’s total points.
“I feel like I’m more confident, I’m confident in my shot and also my teammates are confident in me,” Lucas said. “That’s the biggest thing… and just knowing I can rely on them to score too.”
Leary wasted no time getting Springfield on the board. Coming out firing, she opened scoring for the Pride with a quick layup to get things started. For Leary, this momentum never faltered, grabbing eight points in just the first quarter.
As the teams traded baskets, Springfield focused on settling the ball and slowing the tempo down in the opening frame. Locked in on the boards, the Pride accumulated eight rebounds in the opening ten minutes.
With seconds left in the first quarter, Claire Finney drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer, finalizing the period with the Pride on top. This streak continued for the junior guard with a layup in the first play of the second quarter extending their lead to seven points.
On the defensive end, Springfield raised the intensity and held Endicott to just one field goal in the final four minutes of the half. As halftime approached, the score settled with Springfield up 39-28.
The Gulls put up more shots to start the second half, but as the gap narrowed, the Pride continued to grab rebounds to give them the offensive advantage. A handful of turnovers from Endicott kept the rhythm on Springfield’s side.
Madison Lopez and Carrie Hess stepped up in the final minutes, keeping the Pride in control as they each grabbed crucial points to close out the win. Hess posted four of her fifteen game points in the closing frame, but also created scoring opportunities for her teammates, contributing key assists in the final stretch.
Inside the paint, Springfield was unstoppable, coming up with 46 of their 71 points from close range. From the line, the team shot 69 percent over the four quarters. As Endicott tried to close the gap, the Pride held their composure and continued to move the ball and control the game until the final buzzer.
For their next matchup, the Pride will head to Rochester, N.Y. for the Geneseo Chuck Resler Tournament. Their first game is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 14 at 3pm versus Middlebury. With the first win under the team’s belt, Springfield looks to carry this momentum throughout the competition and build off the victory.
“Every win feels great, but the first win in our gym feels even better,” said coach Naomi Graves. “We needed this win.”
Photo courtesy of Springfield College Athletics