Springfield, Mass. - December 31, 2014 - A 16-point performance from junior guard Heather Lewis (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) aided the Springfield College women's basketball program to a 64-47 victory over DeSales University on Wednesday evening in Blake Arena, claiming its third Hampton Inn West Springfield/Naismith Classic title in the past four seasons.

Lewis averaged 15 points over the course of the two games, resulting in her being honored as the Tournament's Most Valuable Player. With the win, the Pride are victorious in its fourth-straight contest and improve to 6-4 overall, while the Bulldogs fall to 7-4 on the year.

Springfield shot 23-for-47 (48.9%) from the field, including hitting six three-pointers throughout the contest. DeSales was 13-for-46 (28.3%) from the field on the day. Senior forward Jaimie Bickelhaupt (Brookfield, Conn.) also posted an impressive performance for the Pride on the day, registering six points and as many rebounds, while playing a key role on the defensive side of the floor

After surrendering a 5-2 lead to begin the game, sophomore guard Lexi Windwer (Milton, Mass.) and Bickelhaupt canned back-to-back three-pointers on ensuing possessions to give the Pride a 7-5 lead. Windwer then nailed her second triple of the afternoon from the corner to give the Pride an early five-point lead.

Once Dina Pitsas (Milford, N.H.) extended the Pride's lead to seven following a floater off the glass, Riley Fake (Brockport, N.Y.) hit a triple to give the Pride a 17-7 lead, forcing the Bulldogs to take a timeout at the 12:00 mark of the opening half.

Sophomore center Ava Adamopoulos (Ludlow, Mass.) then converted a basket in the post, capping a 9-0 run for the hosts. With a 23-11 lead midway through the first half, Lewis picked up a rebound off of a missed three-pointer and converted on the put-back lay-up to give the Pride a 14-point lead.

The Pride led by as many as 23 points in the first half, when Windwer found Emily Gins (Fort Myers, Fla.) beneath the basket for an easy lay-up to make it 36-13 going into the break.

Beginning the second half, Bickelhaupt found Gins underneath the basket to open the scoring, sparking a series of traded baskets, before Adamopoulos hit a floater in the lane to force a Bulldogs' timeout.

Coming out of the timeout, the Bulldogs went on a small 8-2 run to cut its deficit to 19 before Pitsas ended it with a lay-up on the next possession for the Pride. The Bulldogs' then cut Springfield's lead to 12 following a pair of free-throws from Megan Baird (Columbia, N.J.), before Kaitlin Kelly (Newtown, Pa.) hit a triple to make it 51-39, Springfield.

On the ensuing possession, Windwer drained a three-pointer from the wing to end the flurry from the visitors. With 35 seconds remaining, Moschetta converted a free-throw to seal the victory for the Pride.

Springfield will return to action when it will travel to Cambridge, Mass. to take on MIT in a crucial NEWMAC contest. The game is set to begin at 2 p.m.

Hampton Inn West Springfield/Naismith Classic Honors

Tournament MVP:
Heather Lewis (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) - Springfield College

All-Tournament Team:
Jaimie Bickelhaupt (Brookfield, Conn.) - Springfield College
Morgan McCollian (Bangor, Pa.) - DeSales University
Megan Baird (Columbia, N.J.) - DeSales University
Victoria Crea (Staten Island, N.Y.) - College of Staten Island
Mairead Hynes (Mahopac, N.Y.) - Connecticut College

Connecticut College 74, College of Staten Island 68 - (Consolation Game)

Springfield, Mass. - December 31, 2014 - Freshman forward Mairead Hynes (Mahopac, N.Y) posted 29 points and 16 rebounds, leading the Connecticut College women's basketball program to a 74-68 victory over the College of Staten Island on Wednesday afternoon in the consolation game of the Hampton Inn West Springfield/Naismith Classic hosted at Springfield College.

Hynes etched her name in the tournament's record book with her 17 free-throws attempted, and 13 free-throws made, breaking both marks in the final minutes of the contest.

With the win, the Camels improve to 8-2 on the year, while the Dolphins fall to 4-7 overall. Connecticut College shot 23-for-64 (35.9%) on the day, while Staten Island was 27-for-67 (40.3%) from the field in the contest.

Leading the way for the Camels along with Hynes was sophomore guard Liz Malman (Mendham, N.J.), who finished the contest with 17 points and four rebounds of her own. For the Dolphins, Nikki Fabozzi (Staten Island, N.Y.) led with 19 points and five rebounds, while Victoria Crea (Staten Island, N.Y.) posted eight points and as many rebounds in the loss.

After Connecticut College jumped out to a 9-3 lead following a three-pointer from Carlee Smith (Willimantic, Conn.), Staten Island canned two-straight baskets to pull back to within a pair and forcing a Camel timeout.

Jamie Pifalo (Staten Island, N.Y.) then evened the game at nine apiece with a lay-up underneath the basket, both sides traded baskets until four-straight points from Hynes gave Connecticut College a 19-15 lead midway through the opening half.

Once Fabozzi drained a triple on a nice kick-out from Victoria Crea (Staten Island, N.Y.) to give the Dolphins a 20-19 lead, Staten Island went on a 11-0 run which was halted by a jumper from Hynes, making the score 26-21 Dolphins with just over two minutes left in the first half.

After reclaiming a nine-point lead, Camels senior guard Kaitlyn Cresencia (New Providence, N.J.) hit a three-pointer to pull Connecticut College to within four, but then Victoria Gallinaro (Staten Island, N.Y.) converted a pair of free-throws on the other end for Staten Island to give the Dolphins a six-point lead.

Malman then hit two free-throws with under ten seconds remaining in the half, cutting the Camels' deficit to four prior to the break.

The Dolphins kicked off the second half on a 8-3 run following a triple on the wing from Megan Myhre (Staten Island, N.Y.) to give the Dolphins a 43-33 lead just 3:25 into the second half, forcing a timeout from Connecticut College.

After a pair of free-throws from Pifalo to extend the Dolphins' lead to 12, Malman hit a jumper in transition on the following possession to cut Connecticut College's deficit back to 10 before the Camels brought the game to within five points following a pair of free-throws from Hynes. 

With just under five minutes remaining, Fabozzi came up with a steal for the Dolphins, before dishing a pass to Pasaturo converted a free-throw at the other end to give Staten Island a 62-53 lead. On the ensuing possession, Willa McKinley (Westport, N.Y.) drained a corner three-pointer to bring the Camels back to within six, forcing a Staten Island timeout.

As part of an 11-0 run for the Camels, Smith canned a pair from the charity stripe to cut the Camels' deficit to just one with under three minutes left in the contest, before Malman capitalized on a three-point play on the ensuing possession to give Connecticut College a 64-62 lead.

Hynes then extended the Camels' lead to four with a lay-up underneath the basket, before Smith converted on a pair of free-throws to make it a six-point game. After Fabozzi hit a lay-up for the Dolphins to cut it back to three. Hynes then capitalized on all of her free-throws down the stretch to ice the 74-68 victory for the Camels.