BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Wheaton College (Mass.) women's basketball team was defeated by host Bridgewater State University, 71-64, this evening at the Tinsley Center in Bridgewater, Mass.

The Lyons fall to 10-5 on the season, while the Bears improve to 11-4.

Wheaton held Bridgewater State to 37% (27-73), while shooting 41% (25-61) and owned a healthy 49-39 rebounding advantage, but it was turnovers that spelled the difference in the game. The Lyons committed 22 turnovers to just seven for the Bears, leading to a 28-8 disparity in points off turnovers in favor of host Bridgewater State.

Sophomore guard Abby Fernandes (Assonet, Mass.) led Wheaton with 18 points and added three rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot, while first year forward Nasha Arnold (North Reading, Mass.) fell just a point short of a double-double with nine points and 14 rebounds to go with two assists, a steal and a blocked shot. First year guard Kiki Walters (Fleetwood, Pa.) contributed with nine points, eight rebounds and an assist.

Sophomore forward Kylie Grassi (Plymouth, Mass.) led all scorers with 25 points for the Bears in addition to pulling down eight rebounds, handing out a pair of assists and blocking a shot. Senior guard Sophia Gaucher (Lakeville, Mass.) netted 14 points on 5-10 from the floor and added five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Sophomore guard Eryn Rice (Medway, Mass.) came off the bench to chip in with nine points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 22 minutes of action.

The teams like two good prize fighters each had a big flurry in the contest, but Bridgewater State staged a second barrage of shots that the Lyons tried to counter, but just ran out of time.

The game was tied at 7-7 following a Fernandes jumper at the 5:58 mark, but the Bears closed out the opening quarter with a 19-2 run, including 15 unanswered points, to take a 26-9 lead after one quarter of play. Grassi and Gaucher each scored four points during the stretch. 

Wheaton regrouped for the second quarter and answered with a 20-6 run over the first six minutes of the period, fueled by nine points from Fernandes, to cut the deficit to 32-29 with 3:55 to go in the opening half. 

Bridgewater State shook off the attack and scored seven straight points, including four from Rice, to build the advantage back to double-digits at 39-29 with 11 ticks left on the clock. Fernandes drilled a three-ball with three seconds left in the quarter to pull the Lyons to within 39-32 heading into the break.

The Bears put together another big stretch that Wheaton was ultimately not able to come back from, outscoring their guests, 18-4, over the first six minutes of the second half to take a 57-36 cushion. Grassi scored 10 points to pace the run. 

Bridgewater State maintained a 59-38 margin with 2:53 to go in the period, but Wheaton ripped off nine straight points capped by a Fernandes layup, to close to within 59-47 with 25 seconds left in the quarter.

Grassi drained a three-pointer at 7:01 of the fourth quarter to give the home team a 64-51 lead. The Bears later held a 69-56 advantage with 2:39 showing on the fourth quarter clock, before three-pointers from Emma Kiernan (Wayland, Mass.) and Walters cut the margin to 69-62 for the Lyons with 49 seconds to play in the game. The teams traded two points in the final seconds to keep it a seven-point margin for the final.

Wheaton returns to the court on Saturday, January 14 when it opens the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference schedule at Emerson Gymnasium for a home contest with No. 18 Springfield College at 1:00 p.m. Bridgewater State heads to Worcester, Mass. on January 11 to take on Worcester State University at 7:30 p.m.