Women’s Basketball Falls to Emmanuel, 82-48

Paxton, Mass. – Junior forward Trafficia Warburton (Worcester, Mass.) led the Anna Maria College women's basketball team with 18 points in a home loss (82-48) to Emmanuel College on Tuesday evening in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference contest at Fuller Activities Center.  The AMCATS record dips to 10-12 overall and 3-5 in conference play while the Saints improve to 16-6 for the season and 8-0 in the GNAC. Both teams donned pink warm-up t-shirts as across the GNAC the teams celebrated the Play For Kay organization for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Warburton also added seven rebounds in 35 minutes of action. Katie Pryor (Whitinsville, Mass.) chipped in 12 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists while Lindsay Bond (Webster, Mass.) added seven points. Senior Taylor Walker (Winchendon, Mass.) notched five points and grabbed 8 caroms in the loss.

The Saints had four players in double-figures. Junior Jennifer Bujnowski (Salem, NH) posted the games only double-double scoring 16 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. Sophomore Sara Higgins added a team-high 18 points in just 19 minutes of action. Junior Lena Negri (Arlington, VA) contributed 13 points and 8 rebounds while Shaniya Rentie (Owings Mills, MD) added 11 point off the bench.

Warburton gave the AMCATS an early 5-4 lead with a natural three-pointer and a put back of her own miss at the 17:49 mark. The AMCATS would maintain a one-point advantage, 11-10 with a Deja Taitt (Jamaica, NY) jumper from the elbow with 15:22 to play.

Tied at 15-all with 11:52 on the scoreboard the Saints would embark on a 20-3 run, paced by six points from junior Lena Negri to take a 35-18 advantage with 4:47 to go in the period.  Anna Maria would re-group with an 8-7 edge, including six points from Katie Pryor, cutting the deficit to 42-26 heading into intermission.

Anna Maria opened the second half with back-to-back triples from Lindsay Bond and Katie Pryor to pull within 44-32 just minutes in. The Saints came back with a 12-2 run to increase the lead to 56-36 at the 13:42 mark of the second stanza. Emmanuel scored 26 of the final 38 points to coast to the victory.

Anna Maria returns to action on Saturday, in their final home game of the season, hosting GNAC rival Lasell College at 1:00 p.m. The AMCATS will recognize senior Taylor Walker in a pre-game ceremony. Emmanuel will host GNAC foe Rivier College on Saturday as well, tip-off is slated for 3:00 p.m.