BABSON PARK, Mass.—Senior Katherine Tamulionis (Foxboro, Mass.) scored a season-high 21 points to help Babson College defeat visiting Springfield College, 60-56, in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) women's basketball action on Wednesday night inside Staake Gymnasium.

Babson (17-7, 9-0 NEWMAC), which is ninth in the most recent NCAA regional rankings, clinched a share of its fifth consecutive conference title with its ninth straight win. Springfield, which is seventh in the regional rankings, suffered its first loss in nine games to slip to 17-7 overall and 8-1 in the NEWMAC.

First-year Megan Bauman (East Lyme, Conn.) contributed 15 points, four assists and four rebounds, while senior Jacqueline Jozefick (Milford, Conn.) chipped in with seven points and a team-high 10 boards to lead the Beavers.

Seniors Alex Goslin (South Windsor, Conn.) and Emily Jacques (Auburn, Maine) both scored 11 points, while first-year Sam Hourihan (Bridgewater, Mass.) finished with 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for the Pride.

Tied midway through the first quarter the Green and White ripped off a 19-5 run. Tamulionis and junior Shaye Galletta (Riverside, Conn.) combined for eight straight points, Jozefick buried a three-pointer to end the first quarter and Bauman scored seven of the next eight points to help the Beavers extend the margin to 29-15 less than four minutes into the second.

First-year Jade Perry (Auburn, Mass.) matched Babson's biggest lead at 32-18 with 2:13 to go in the half, but Springfield responded with a 6-0 run to pull within eight 48 seconds into the third quarter. The Beavers responded with eight points of their own though, which included three-pointers by junior Nicole Hiller (Rocky Hill, Conn.) and Tamulionis to extend the margin back to 44-28 with 4:55 remaining in the period.

Goslin and first-year Rachel Vinton (Holden, Mass.) combined for 11 points as part of a 14-4 burst that helped the Pride cut its deficit to 48-42 on the opening possession of the fourth quarter. Springfield got as close as 50-45 on a layup by senior Taylor Hall (Tolland, Conn.) with 4:10 to play, but Tamulionis answered with a bucket at the 2:40 and then knocked down two free throws with 2:02 left to make it 54-45.

The Pride got as close as four twice over the final 60 seconds, but Bauman went 2-of-2 at the line with 24 seconds to put the game away.

The Beavers, who shot 35.8 percent, finished with a 41-37 edge on the glass. Springfield, which committed just four turnovers, shot only 30.3 percent on the night.

Both teams return to action on Saturday as Babson travels to Coast Guard at 3 p.m., while the Pride host Wellesley at 12 p.m.

GAME NOTES
• The Beavers are now 31-12 all-time against Springfield and have won eight of their last nine games against the Pride.
• Over her last five games against the Pride, Tamulionis is averaging 17.8 points on nearly 60 percent shooting.
• Wednesday's victory was the 661st of head coach Judy Blinstrub' s career moving her into 14th place on Division III's all-time wins list.
• Babson is now 16-1 this season and has won 38 of its last 40 games when outrebounding its opponents.