Senior guard Sarah Thomsen became the 3rd player in program history to reach 1,000 career points as she scored 12 to help the Bruins defeat Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Tuesday night. With the win, the Bruins improve to 3-6 on the season.
"We're very proud of Sarah," Bruins Head Coach Mike LeViere said. "To reach this milestone represents a lot of hard work and effort that she has put in over the course of her career with the team."
The Bruins entered Tuesday's game on the heels of a tough loss to Emmanuel College last week. With the Thanksgiving holiday behind them, the team was ready to get back on the court as they faced the Spirits of Salem College who came into the game at 0-5.
As the game began, Thomsen provided the scoring touch as she knocked down looks to help give the Bruins an early 7-2 lead. Kylee Leffew was a force in the paint for the team as she had 6 points in the opening quarter. The Bruins were able to control the rebounding margin and played good defense to keep the lead. Still, the Spirits didn't give up as they closed the gap with the Bruins leading 18-14 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Bruins used an early run to stretch their lead thanks to a three from Gracen Ledford and points in the paint by the team's post players. The Spirits were able to keep the game close, but another run by the Bruins to close out the half gave the team a comfortable lead 47-29 at the break.
The Bruins weren't content with their lead and it showed as the team came out in the second half looking to extend their lead. Again, the Bruins played suffocating defense as they forced the Spirits into tough shots all game long. Kylee Leffew and Delaney Edwards each helped the Bruins in rebounding as the pair combined for 20 rebounds in the game. As the buzzer sounded to end the quarter, the Bruins were in control with a 66-46 lead.
With the game in hand, the Bruins came out looking to put an exclamation point on a great team win. The Bruins were able to push the ball in transition and get high percentage looks. Offensive rebounding was also key as possessions were extended leading to second-chance points. As the final buzzer sounded, the Bruins were able to bounce back into the winning column with a dominant 86-67 victory.
"We played a good defensive game and stayed disciplined in moving our feet," Coach LeViere said. "There were only a few times we slipped up but were able to recover quickly. A great team win tonight."
Kylee Leffew led the Bruins with 16 points and 9 rebounds while Delaney Edwards finished with another double-double on the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Next up, the Bruins will be on the road Thursday as they face Brevard College in Brevard, North Carolina.
