New London, Conn. - January 14, 2016 - The Springfield College women's basketball team suffered just its second New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) loss on Thursday night, as the Pride fell to the Coast Guard Academy, 70-51, in Roland Gym.

With the loss, Springfield is now 9-5 overall, with a conference record of 4-2, while the Bears improve to 8-5 on the season, with a 5-1 mark in the NEWMAC. The Pride shot a dismal 19-of-56 (33.9%) from the floor in the loss, while Coast Guard shot 28-of-72 (38.9%) in the contest.

Springfield was led by senior guard Heather Lewis (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.), who posted eight points in the loss, while junior Lexi Windwer (Milton, Mass.) recorded seven points, all in the first half of play. Both Windwer, and sophomore Heather King (Lebanon, N.H.) recorded a team-high six boards in the loss.

For Coast Guard, the Bears had three players score in double figures, as senior guard Meghan Fornaro (Charlton, Mass.) posted a game-high 17 points, while sophomore Gill Gerton (Lorton, Va.) registered 14, and senior forward Torie Sutherland (Houston, Texas) notched 13, including her 1000th-career point in the win.

After Sutherland gave the Bears an 9-3 lead following a free-throw 4:20 into the contest, the Pride scratched back into the game, when six unanswered points, capped by a lay-up from freshman Chelsea McAllister (Springfield, Vt.) evened the game at nine apiece with 3:47 left in the first stanza. With the score even at 15 with 1:08 to go following a jumper from King, Fornaro scored the final four points of the quarter, as Coast Guard led 19-15 at the end of one.

Following a triple from Windwer to make it 21-18, Bears, the hosts went on a 8-0 run, capped by a pair of free-throws from Jill Bray (Glastonbury, Conn.) to extend Coast Guard's lead to 11 with 2:19 left in the first half. Springfield would again come back to within five points following a three-pointer from Molly McCausland (Millbury, Mass.), as the Bears would take a 29-24 lead into the halftime break.

Coast Guard would see its lead balloon to 12 following a three-pointer from Michelle Hernandez (Folsom, Calif.), but was quickly answered by back-to-back baskets from King and Lewis to keep the Pride within eight. With a 42-32 lead following another basket from Sutherland, the Bears ended the third quarter on a 10-0 run, including another three from Hernandez to make it 50-32, Coast Guard, heading into the final quarter.

Springfield was unable to gain ground on the bears in the final period of play, but got strong minutes off the bench from Christa Brent (Wilmington, Mass.), Carli Brent (Wilmington, Mass.) and freshman Grace Restituyo (Jersey City, N.J.), as Coast Guard sealed the victory.

Up next, Springfield will travel to MIT for its third game in five days. The tip is set for 1 p.m.