Worcester, Mass. - January 20, 2016 - Benefitting from double double performances by senior forward Emily Gins (Fort Myers, Fla.) and sophomore forward Heather King (Lebanon, N.H.), the Springfield College women's basketball team picked up a 57-46 win over Clark University in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Wednesday night at the Kneller Athletic Center. 

With the win, the Pride earned its 10th victory of the season, improving to 10-6 overall and 5-3 in conference play, while the Cougars fell to 3-14 on the year with a 1-8 mark against league opponents. Springfield was dominant on the glass, holding a 51-27 advantage over Clark, while the Pride was 21-of-58 (36.2%) from the floor. The Cougars shot 17-for-57 (29.8%) in the loss.

Following a 10-point, eight-rebound first half from King, it was Gins who took over in the second half, as the senior finished tying her career-best for the third time this season with 18 points and 15 rebounds in the victory. King finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while junior guard Lexi Windwer (Milton, Mass.) chipped in with nine points and two steals.

This marks the first time since Jan. 1, 2014 that Springfield College has had multiple student-athletes achieve a double double in the same contest, as the last was Tamara Tribble '14 and Jaimie Bickelhaupt '15 in a 67-50 win over Drew University in the championship game of the 2014 Hampton Inn West Springfield/Naismith Classic.

For the Cougars, junior guard Aretha Sullivan (Worcester, Mass.) led the way with 11 points and three assists, while sophomore guard Sam O'Gara (Worcester, Mass.) notched 10 points to go along with four rebounds, four steals and two assists on the evening.

The Pride jumped out to an early 8-2 advantage following a lay-up from Gins just 3:12 into the contest, before the Cougars crawled back to within one following a basket from Torieana St. Pierre (Portsmouth, N.H.) to make it 10-9, Springfield, with 2:03 left in the opening stanza. Following a knock-down jumper from Gins to make it 12-9, Clark ended the first quarter on a triple from Dominique St. Pierre (Portsmouth, N.H.) to even the score at 12 apiece.

A layup from Kacey Legare (Chicopee, Mass.) with 3:24 remaining in the first half gave the hosts a 23-17 lead, but Springfield would end the second quarter on a 10-2 run, including back-to-back three-pointers from Windwer to take a 27-25 lead into the halftime break.

The Pride would extend its lead to eight points just 2:44 into the third period following a pair of free-throws from Gins, but five unanswered points, capped by a free-throw from Sullivan would pull Clark back to within three midway through the stanza.

From there, the Pride would score the next 10 points of the game to open a 43-30 lead over the Cougars 1:02 into the final quarter following two more free-throws from Gins, before Dominique St. Pierre's three-pointer was quickly answer by Gins to give the Pride a 47-36 lead with 5:04 to go. 

A three-pointer from Georgia Ford (Scarborough, Maine) proved to seal the victory for Springfield, as the triple gave the Pride a 50-37 lead with 3:51 left, a lead that Springfield would hold onto for the remainder of the contest, picking up the 57-46 victory.

Up next, Springfield will travel to Wellesley College on Saturday, January 23 for a 2 p.m. conference tilt.