Box Score

NEWTON, Mass. - Junior Amber Litwinko (Berlin, Conn.) scored 23 points to lead Nichols College to a 70-68 double overtime win at Lasell College in non-conference women's basketball action Saturday afternoon.

Senior Devon Spirka (Wilmington, Vt.) and junior Sarah Whitestone (Dalton, Mass.) each scored 12 points as the Bison overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to move to 4-0 for the first time since the 1990-91 campaign. Nichols outrebounded the Lasers 54-48 and forced 24 turnovers.

Kayla Vincelette (Westport, Mass.) scored a team-high 16 points for Lasell while Danielle Autencio (Montville, Conn.) added 13 points and a game-high 15 rebounds and Alexis Chappell (Springfield, Mass.) chipped in 12 points and seven boards. Katie Stopera (Hollis, N.H.) finished with five points and a team-best eight assists while Breeana Williams (Bloomfield, Conn.) contributed eight points and five caroms off the bench.

The Lasers jumped out to an early lead behind six points from Vincelette to go ahead 10-2 just five minutes into the game. A Spirka layup stopped the Lasers run momentarily, but the hosts scored the next eight points to lead 18-4 with 11:24 remaining in the first half.

A pair of free throws by Chappell and a free throw from Autencio put Lasell in front 28-9 with just five minutes left in the opening half, but Nichols started to find the range and chip away at the Lasell lead. Nichols score the next 11 points to trim the Lasers lead to 28-20 before a layup by Autencio in the final seconds of the half put Lasell in front 30-20 at the half.

Through the opening 10 minutes of play in the second stanza, Nichols cut into the hosts lead, but Lasell recovered and led by eight at 40-32 with 11:29 left in the game. The Bison cut the Lasers lead to two points (46-44) with 5:29 left in the game on a layup by Litwinko, then following a stop on the defensive end of the floor took their first lead since the opening minute on a three pointer by Litwinko. Vincelette and Whitestone traded baskets twice, leaving Nichols with a 51-50 lead with just over three minutes left in regulation.

Litwinko then drove baseline and was followed making a short jumper with 2:30 to play to give Nichols a four-point cushion at 54-50. A basket by Chappell cut the lead to 54-52 with 2:13 on the clock.

Neither team was able to convert over the next minute and a half of action, and Spirka made one out of two at the line with 24 seconds remaining to give the visitors a 55-52 lead. Spirka missed the second free throw but grabbed her own rebound and was fouled again with 14 seconds remaining.

Spirka missed the front end of the one-and-one and Autencio was fouled on the rebound, sending her to the line at the other end of the floor. Autencio knocked down both shots to leave the Lasers trailing 55-54 with 10 seconds on the clock. Spirka again converted one out of two at the line to give Nichols a 56-54 lead with 9.5 left in the contest.

Lasell pushed the ball up the floor and Chappell converted a layup underneath to tie the game with 1.7 seconds remaining. Nichols was unable to get a shot off on the ensuring possession, sending the game into overtime.

Lasell jumped out to an early lead in the extra time behind an offensive rebound put-back by Molly Lauver (Cambridge, N.Y.) and a Lauver three-pointer to take a 61-56 lead with three minutes to play in the overtime. An offensive rebound by senior Kasey Pelletier (Dunstable, Mass.) gave Nichols some extra life as she was fouled by Chappell, earning a pair of free throws and sending Chappell to the bench with her fifth foul.

Nichols responded with an 8-2 run to take a 64-63 lead with under a minute to play in overtime. Sammy Long grabbed a Lasell miss and was fouled, draining a pair to put Lasell in front 65-64 with 25.6 seconds left. Litwinko was fouled on the ensuing possession and made one of two free throws to tie the game at 65. A Lasell miss at the buzzer the game headed into the second extra period.

Williams made a pair of free throws in the second overtime to put Lasell in front 67-65. Nichols responded with a pair of its own by junior Alexis Wegrzynek (Wilbraham, Mass.) when she was fouled by Williams, sending her to the bench with her fifth foul as well.

Long made one out of two with 2:42 remaining in the second overtime to put Lasell in front 68-67. Pelletier was then fouled also split a pair at the charity stripe, tied the game at 68 with two-and-a-half to play.

A Pelletier free throw with 1:44 left gave Nichols a 69-68 lead, and following a pair of empty possessions for Lasell, Pelletier made another free throw with five seconds remaining. A last second heave by Lasell fell short.

The Bison travel to Anna Maria Tuesday for a 5:00 p.m. contest. Lasell (2-3) hosts Western New England Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

Contributions from Lasell sports information