In its final matchup of December, the Springfield College women’s basketball team stepped onto the court knowing it was facing one of the toughest tests of the season. Hosting nationally ranked Trinity at Blake Arena on Monday, Dec. 8, the Pride put together a competitive effort, but ultimately fell 58-49 in a game where shifts in momentum and late missed opportunities sealed it.
Heading into tipoff, the two teams were at an even 5–5 in their last ten competitions, a history that set expectations for a close game. It was clear that any result would come down to the small details. With this in mind, the Pride opened with intensity and focus on both ends of the court.
Part of that confidence came from the team’s recent win on the road at Lasell, where senior Carrie Hess delivered an explosive career-high 29 points. Her previous performance set the tone for the team heading into the Trinity game, proving the impact that an early rhythm had on the outcome.
Defensively, Springfield executed its game plan early on, forcing Trinity into deep shots from beyond the arc. The strategy held up as Springfield maintained a lead at 18-14 after the first ten minutes.
Amanda Leary and Claire Finney headed scoring efforts early on, dropping eight points each in the first. Trinity combatted the Pride’s defensive efforts with shots from 3-point range, yet Springfield maintained control and momentum.
Natalie Lucas joined Leary and Finney in the offensive push as she notched eight of her own points in quarter two. While the Pride held a narrow lead, their pace began to falter. Possessions became more hesitant, while rushed decisions prevented them from extending the advantage. Still, the game remained well within reach.
As Trinity’s physicality increased in the second half of play, Springfield continued to work to match it. A standout performance by Ruth Boles provided necessary energy and attacks in the final minutes, generating important opportunities.
“She stepped up big… She’s really doing some good things, and I’m excited for her,” Graves said.
Springfield’s defensive performance kept the game close until the last second. Limiting Trinity to just 13 points in the final quarter, the Pride struggled to execute offensively, and shots simply did not drop.
“That’s the hardest thing about being a shooter. You’ve got to keep shooting even when you miss. It’s really hard. And tonight we had the stops, but we needed those finishing shots,” Graves said.
As the team looks ahead to their week of practices, Leary emphasized the team’s next steps will be focusing on control, confidence and maintaining composure.
“We competed with them. They’re a very high-ranked team, and we competed with them. Toward the end of the game we let down, and we just can’t let that happen,” Leary said. “When we have possession, we need to run our game and be executing our offense. When we’re finding something that’s working, keep doing that and hopefully get some baskets.”
Though the result didn’t fall their way, the Pride finished the night with a strong understanding of where adjustments are needed moving forward. Their defensive success against a top opponent sets the tone for the standard they aim for as the season progresses.
Now, the Pride jump back into training before a recess, reconvening for the Naismith Classic in early January. Beginning on Jan. 1, the Pride will host familiar competitors in the tournament such as Rivier, Colby, Amherst, and Smith.
Photo by Emma Bynes/The Student