Women’s basketball soars past Anna Maria

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST

By Taylor Kimmell Asst. Sports Editor Effective defensive play and strong offensive drives powered the Framingham State Rams past the Anna Maria Amcats 80-54 in a non-conference matchup Jan. 28. This win improves FSU’s overall record to 9-9. Their conference record stands at 5-2. Senior Kiara Cerruti kickstarted the action with a jump shot, followed closely by layups from sophomores Faith Greene and Jacqueline Schels. Schels scored once again a minute later, netting a 3-point jump shot. Anna Maria continued to struggle against the Rams’ defense, and after their fifth turnover, watched Framingham net the ball for another 3 points. In the following minute, Cerruti made a steal, passing to Captain Abigail Martin, a senior, who sent the ball to Schels for another jump shot. On their next possession, the Amcats missed a jump shot, and junior Ava Mckeon got the rebound, advancing the ball down the court for Schels to score 2 more points on a layup. With 5:29 left in the first quarter, Anna Maria’s offense finally broke through with a layup, though they already faced a sizable point deficit of 16-2. Greene made a layup on the Rams’ next possession, and the Amcats added 2 more points to their score on the following play. Green capitalized on Framingham’s next two possessions, bringing in 4 more points. Anna Maria put up 4 more points during the final 2 minutes of the quarter, while Schels and Cerruti tallied a collective 5 points for the Rams. Greene opened play in the second quarter with a layup, increasing the Rams’ lead to 29-9. On the same possession, Greene sank a foul shot. The next 5 minutes saw baskets from both teams, with the Amcats scoring 9 points while the Rams brought in only 4. Cerruti, Schels, and freshman Evi Higgins scored for the Rams as the half came to an end. Anna Maria scored once more on a layup. An early foul by the Amcats allowed Martin to capitalize on a free-throw shot. Shortly after, Anna Maria battled back, scoring their first 3-pointer of the match. Cerruti was a driving force on the Rams’ next two possessions, scoring on a layup and a 3-pointer. The teams traded baskets for the next 3 minutes, with the Amcats scoring on a 3-point jumpshot and three free throws while FSU added points to the board with a jump shot by Schels and a 3-pointer by sophomore Bridget Trainor, bringing the score to 50-28 - the Rams still holding onto a significant lead. After five uneventful possessions from both teams, the Rams were able to score when the Amcats fouled freshman Zaria Anderson, allowing her to sink a shot from the free-throw line. Schels and Cerruti kept up the action for FSU for the remainder of the quarter, tallying 11 points. The fourth and final quarter saw rampant action from both sides. A layup from the Amcats started off the final 10-minute stretch, closely followed by a layup by Cerruti. After Anna Maria scored on three free throws and a jump shot, sophomore Haleigh Cyrus scored on a layup to bring the score to 71-49, with the score still in favor of the Rams. With 3:40 to go, sophomore Shaelagh Green netted the ball on a layup. The next two plays resulted in a 3-pointer from each side, with FSU’s coming from Higgins. Fouled by the Amcats, Green was able to score on two free throws, increasing the Rams’ lead. Green scored once again for Framingham when, with 1:15 left in the match, she sent up a layup. The Amcats put up 2 more points before the buzzer sounded, but as the clock hit zero, the Rams secured the victory 80-54. Schels said the team can attribute their win to “playing together as a team and using our defense to fuel our offense.” Martin said the team played to their strengths during the match, tackling the challenge as a team. She said FSU “truly came out strong in the first couple of minutes in the first quarter, which helped with creating the flow for the rest of the game. We have worked so hard this season and we have been focusing on our team atmosphere to carry us through the next couple of weeks,” she added. Schels agreed the team has worked to improve their chemistry since the start of the season. She said the team has really “come together. I hope we can start peaking just in time for the post season and hope to make a good run we can be proud of.” As the team progresses into the conference-heavy portion of their season, Martin said the Rams are setting standards for themselves and the program. She said, “We are just taking it one game at a time. League play can get pretty crazy, but we all take the time to put in the work on and off the court.” The Rams will take on the Westfield State Owls in a conference matchup on the road Jan. 31. ¶