Amherst finished the Hoop Classic with a 1-1 record, bouncing back a disappointing 65-40 opening-night setback to Western New England. Westfield finished 0-2, including an overtime loss to Springfield College in Friday's first-round action. Amherst and Westfield both have 2-4 overall records.
Smith used her height advantage (6-2) and some nice turnaround moves to dominate the inside. The Villanova, Pa., native was 9-for-10 from the field and scored 16 first-half points.
For the second straight game, the Owls started slowly, trailing 13-3 midway thru the first half. Amherst led by as many as 21 points, 33-12, before taking a 35-18 halftime lead. Westfield committed 10 turnovers and shot 23 percent (5-for-22) in the first half.
The Owls closed to within 11 points, 42-31, in the second half but couldn't break the single-digit barrier. The Lord Jeffs pulled away for a 54-34 lead.
Scoring 11 points apiece for Amherst were Shaina Pollack and Stefanie Reiff. Westfield's leading scorer was sophomore forward Becky Passetto with 13 points. All-Tournament team selection Meghan McCarthy - a senior guard from Belchertown - added eight points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals for the Owls.
Pioneer Valley Women's Hoop Classic
All-Tournament Team Selections
Erin Schwartz (Springfield) - Most Valuable Player
LaToya Franklin (Springfield)
Tiffany DeRosa (WNEC)
Lisa Masella (WNEC)
Julie Smith (Amherst)
Meghan McCarthy (Westfield State)
Fourth Annual Pioneer Valley Women's Hoop Classic
December 3, 2005
Springfield College 55 - Western New England 43
WESTFIELD - Tournament MVP Erin Schwartz (Milford, CT) posted game highs of 18 points and nine rebounds to lead Springfield College to a 55-43 come-from-behind victory over Western New England College in the Fourth Annual Pioneer Valley Women's Hoop Classic Dec. 3.
Springfield - ranked 13th nationally in NCAA Division III - was 2-0 in the Classic and is now 4-1 overall.
WNEC (3-2) led by as many as nine points, 25-16, with 3:49 remaining in the first half. But the Golden Bears then turned colder than the outside weather as Springfield outscored them 18-0 over a 10-minute stretch to take a 34-25 lead with 13:45 remaining in the game.
Sparked by senior center Lisa Masella (Newton, CT) - who scored all of her team-high 10 points in the second half - WNEC cut the Springfield lead to three, 34-31, with 12:15 remaining. But the Golden Bears went on another scoring drought, this one nearly eight minutes, and Springfield took its biggest lead, 47-35, with 3:15 remaining.
Following the slow start, Springfield's comeback game plan was to pound the ball inside and the Pride did it effectively. Schwartz - an imposing 6-2 senior center - combined with classmate Courtney Pavin (11 points) to control the inside.
