NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The MCLA Trailblazers women's basketball program returned from a three-week layoff to earn a convincing 68-37 win over the visiting Southern Vermont Mountaineers Wednesday evening in the Amsler Campus Center Gym.

 

Karina Mattera led all scorers with a game best 15-point effort in her first game of the season. Courtney Pingelski added 14 points in the win.  

 

The Trailblazers (4-6) jumped all over Southern Vermont (3-8) in this one as they led 19-6 after one quarter of play.  MCLA  extended the lead to 40-16 at halftime as the Trailblazer defense forced 15 turnovers and held the visitors to just 22% shooting in the opening half of play.

 

Mckenzie Robinson and Karina Mattera each scored 9 points over the opening twenty minutes of action.  MCLA shot 45% in the half.

 

MCLA kept the momentum going in the third quarter as they outscored the visitors 21-7 as the lead grew to as many as 44 points.

 

The Trailblazers shot 43 percent in the win and forced 21 SVC turnovers.  

 

The Mountaineers were led by Liv Pressley's team best 10 points.

 

The Trailblazers open up MASCAC play on Saturday when they head to Westfield State University for a 2 p.m. tip off. SVC will play Lesley Monday night in their next outing.

 

Men's Basketball

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The visiting Southern Vermont College men's basketball team began the game with a 9-0 spurt and never looked back as they ran past the MCLA Trailblazers 82-60 Wednesday evening in the Amsler Campus Center Gym.

 

SVC (8-2) was paced by Kajuan Kinsey's game high 24 point night. He was 8-12 shooting and added six rebounds to his stat line. Donnell Frayer, Jr added 14 points and three steals for SVC while Kyle Depollar notched 13 points including a trio of three pointers. Kiran Durant collected 10 points off the bench for SVC.

 

Depollar and Kinsey combined for all nine points in the opening spurt of the contest as SVC took control early. They never trailed as MCLA (4-8) climbed within five points, but couldn't get any closer as the Mountaineers jumped out to a commanding 38-25 lead at halftime.

 

Coming out of the locker room, the lead quickly grew to over twenty points as SVC shot a solid 53 percent over the final half of play. They led by as many as 28 points in the second half and were never seriously threatened.

 

MCLA was led by Hayden Bird's team best 13-point night.  Michael Trancucci chipped in with 11 points and five rebounds off the bench.

 

The Trailblazers were hindered by 19 turnovers and shot just 32% in the setback.

 

MCLA is back in action on Saturday when they kick off MASCAC play against Westfield State on the road.