Owls get late surge to defeat Seahawks

WESTFIELD, Mass. - Junior center Cassy Jouannet (Conway, Mass.) scored 14 points and sophomore reserve guard Janae Jones (Springfield, Mass.) added 13 points and a game-high four assists to spark Westfield State to a 66-58 non-conference women's basketball victory over Salve Regina Thursday, Dec. 10.

Jouannet and Jones teamed up for 22 of their 27 points in the second half as the Owls (6-4) overcame a sluggish first half in their final game before the semester break.

Westfield, which committed 13 first-half turnovers, trailed by as many as seven points in the first half and was behind 32-29 at the intermission.

The Owls trailed by five points, 45-40, with 12:19 remaining when Jones drained two 3-point baskets to ignite an 11-0 run for a 51-45 Westfield lead with 9:20 remaining.

With Jones and Jouannet combining for 10 points, Westfield expanded its advantage to nine, 62-53, at the 3:01 mark. The Owls took their biggest lead, 66-55, following a Jouannet layup.

Jouannet and Jones were the only two Owls scoring in double figures. Junior center Ashley Finnegan (Worcester, Mass.) contributed nine points and nine rebounds. Westfield shot 48 percent from the field and cut down on its turnovers (seven) in the second half.

Lindsay Shorey (Ashland, Mass.) scored a game-high 17 points for Salve Regina. Erin Phillips (Morristown, N.J.) scored 11 points and Olivia Browning (Trumbull, Conn.) added eight points and nine rebounds.

The visitors shot just 33 percent from the field and were outrebounded, 44-38.

Courtesy of Westfield State sports information