Women’s Basketball Powers Past Elms, 72-49

CHICOPEE, Mass. –Anna Maria College used a game-high 29 points from Trafficia Warburton (Worcester, Mass.) to help pace the AMCATS to a 72-49 victory over the Blazers in Saturday afternoon's non-conference women's basketball game at Picknelly Arena.

With the loss, Elms moves to 4-3 on the season while Anna Maria improves to 5-5 overall. 

Anna Maria raced out to an early 7-0 lead in the first 3:34 of the game and quickly extended that lead to double digits, eventually posting a cushion of as many as 22 (37-15) following a Taylor Walker (Winchendon, Mass.) free throw with 2:15 to play. 

Warburton scored 17 of her game-best 29 points in the first stanza hitting on 6 of 12 from the field and 4 of 5 from the charity stripe. She also totaled nine of her team-high 13 rebounds in the frame to help the AMCATS stake a 37-18 lead at intermission.  

Anna Maria shot 48.3-percent from the field and 50-percent from three-point range in the first 20 minutes, while the Blazers were held to 20-percent shooting from the floor. Youngblood hit a pair of treys in the first half for Elms.  

In the second half, the Blazers slowly chipped away at the Anna Maria advantage sparked by four strikes from long distance from Youngblood. Elms battled back to pull to within 12 (57-45) after junior forward Denisha Parks (Fall River, Mass.) converted a pair from the free throw line with 4:51 to play in the contest, but Lindsay Bond (Webster, Mass.) drained a three-pointer, Walker hit the back end of two foul shots, and Warburton hit two free throws extended the lead back to 18 and the AMCATS never looked back.  

Walker finished with 10 points and nine rebounds in the winning effort, while Warburton added four assists and three steals. Deja Taitt (Jamaica, N.Y.) notched five steals and Bond added nine points.

 Parks finished with 11 points and team-high 13 rebounds, while junior forward JC Pickett (Chicopee, Mass.) pulled down 10 boards.

 Freshman forward Heather Bailey (Williamstown, Vt.) grabbed eight rebounds off the bench for the Blazers, while sophomore guard Jenna Oyler (Metuchen, N.J.) netted nine points in reserve.

Anna Maria is back in action on Dec. 29-30 at the Hoops for Hounds Tournament hosted by Lycoming College in Williamsport, Penn. The AMCATS will take on Warriors at 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 29. 

Release courtesy of Elms Sports Information Department