SPRINGFIELD, Mass.—First-year Samantha Reale (North Attleboro, Mass.) finished with 11 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists but visiting Babson College was unable to overcome an early deficit and suffered a 58-48 loss to Springfield College in non-conference women's basketball action on Wednesday night inside Blake Arena. 

Babson slips to 6-8 overall with the loss while Springfield improves to 11-3 on the year. The game does not count in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) standings as the teams will meet again on February 10. 

Sophomore Allessia Carlo (Carmel, N.Y.) contributed 10 points and two steals, while juniors Abby Miller (Millis, Mass.) and Katelyn Mollica (Foxborough, Mass.) both chipped in with seven points for the Beavers. 

Junior Angela Czeremcha (West Springfield, Mass.) led all players with 17 points, 22 rebounds and two blocked shots for the Pride. Classmate Lindsey Laughlan (Ellington, Conn.) scored 10 points and senior Rachel Vinton (Rutland, Mass.) contributed six points, seven rebounds and game highs of five assists and four steals in the win. 

Sophomore Chloe Perreault (Danbury, Conn.) and Carlo knocked down three-pointers to help the Green and White build an 8-5 lead midway through the first quarter before the hosts embarked on an extended 22-2 run to take control of the game. Czeremcha put Springfield in front with a three-point play, first-year Natalie Lucas (Madison, Conn.) drilled a pair of triples and Laughlan scored four points to start the second period extending the lead to 27-10 before Mollica snapped a Beavers' field goal drought of nearly 10 minutes with a trifecta from the top of the key with 5:11 to go until halftime.

Down 30-19 at the break, Babson pulled within nine twice over the first four-plus minutes of the third quarter before first-year Claire Finney (Haverhill, Mass.) sparked a 10-0 spurt with a pair of hoops as the Pride built its largest lead of the night at 44-25 with 2:39 left in the stanza. The Beavers did not go quietly though, getting five straight points from Carlo and a three-pointer by Miller to close to within 11 going to the fourth. 

Senior Madison Odam (San Jose, Calif.) started the final frame with a layup and Reale followed up a jumper by Carlo with back-to-back hoops capping a 16-4 run that pulled the Green and White within 48-41 with 6:41 to play. Czeremcha canned two free throws on the ensuing possession, sophomore Amanda Leary (Westbury, N.Y.) scored on two of the next three trips and Czeremcha converted a steal into a layup as the hosts pushed their advantage back to 56-44 with under three minutes to go. 

The Beavers shot 46.7 percent in the fourth quarter but just 28.1 percent for the game and were outscored 34-20 in the paint. The Pride shot 38.1 percent on the night and finished with a 48-38 edge on the glass. 

Both teams open NEWMAC play on Saturday as Babson travels to Emerson at 3 p.m. while Springfield visits MIT at 1 p.m. 

GAME NOTES
•    The Beavers are now 34-15 all-time against Springfield and have dropped two straight games in the series. 
•    The last seven games in the series going back to February 2020 have been won by the home team. 
•    Despite the loss, the Beavers have now allowed fewer than 65 points in six consecutive games. 
•    Babson committed just 10 turnovers on Wednesday night, its fewest since finishing with just nine miscues in last year's 71-61 loss at Springfield on January 28.