Colby-Sawyer comes back to beat Fitchburg State University

Eagle Times Staff
FITCHBURG, MA — The Colby-Sawyer women’s basketball team picked up their second win of the 2023-24 campaign on Wednesday, Dec. 6, defeating Fitchburg State University by a 64-59 final.

The Falcons jumped ahead early by a 9-0 margin before junior Gabby Lucertini stopped the run with a layup. Another finish by first year Bree Lawrence cut the deficit back to seven points, but Fitchburg continued its attack leading 18-4 into the second quarter.

After Olivia Almeida buried a three to extend the lead to 21-4, the Chargers woke up going on a 12-2 run highlighted by back-to-back threes by junior Marissa Holt. Another 8-4 run followed by the visitors and after back-to-back layups by junior Natalie Panagrosso the Chargers only by just three. Two more threes by graduate student Lia Raynowska and sophomore Elyza Mitchell kept the Chargers within 31-30 with 2:15 to play, but the home team stayed in front headed into halftime by a 37-34 margin.

Mitchell kicked off the third quarter with a jumper and a layup to give Colby-Sawyer their first lead of the game with 7:19 to play in the third. A junior Courtney Brewster layup put the Chargers in front by a single point again, but the home team pushed back holding a 45-42 lead. Lucertini answered with a shot from deep on an assist by Holt and then Holt ended the period with another layup as CSC led 48-45 with 10 minutes to play.

The Falcons battled back to knot things up with 8:15 to play. Mitchell finished a layup, but four-straight points by Rylie Harlow put the home team back in front. Lucertini answered the call again with a three-pointer to push the visitors in front. Brewster and Mitchell added crucial layups to extend the lead to 58-53 with 2:52 to play. The teams traded buckets, but a Brewster layup from Raynowska with a minute left put the game away for the Chargers.

“We came off the bus slow, but the start of the second quarter coach rallied the team together and told us to wake up and play our game,” said Holt. “That is what we did, starting the second quarter and playing that way the rest of the game. We started focusing on defense and pushing in transition for quick buckets, we bought into the build plays and trusted each other’s roles for a big comeback win.”