Women's Hoop Wins Season Opener

Westfield State women's basketball used a balanced attack, with six players scoring in double figures to run to an 81-78 win over the University of St. Joseph (Conn.) in the season opener for the Owls at the Gordon College tip-off tournament on Friday afternoon.

First-year Grace Wigington led the Owls with 15 points, and senior Tavi Williams registered a double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds, and added six assists and five steals.

Westfield opens the year 1-0, while USJ, an NCAA Tournament team a year ago, is now 0-1.

The Owls ran out to a 9-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game and led 42-36 at the half.   

The Owls maintained a single-digit lead for most of the game with the Blue Jays grabbing a two-point lead for a couple of possessions early in the fourth quarter, the last at 61-59 after a Madeline Greene layup with 7:59 left in regulation.  The Owls grabbed a 65-61 lead on a pair of three pointers from Wigington, and held on down the stretch.

Westfield forced 28 turnovers from the Jays, which the Owls turned into 24 points.  Westfield's bench outscored USJ 34-15.

Kayley Downie and Sophia Rockwood each scored 12 points for the Owls, with Caroline Galvani and Alexa Davis each chipped in with 10.

Sequoia Tucotte Briggs led USJ with 28 points. Ella Kullas added 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Nevaeh Yorke dished out nine assists and grabbed eight boards.

The Owls are slated to play Gordon tomorrow at 4:30 on day 2 of the tournament.