BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Suffolk women's basketball's first road trip of the year dueled as the Rams first setback as the Bridgewater handed the Rams their first loss of the year, 88-72, Saturday at the Tinsley Center.   

THE BASICS
SCORE: Suffolk 72 | Bridgewater State 88
RECORDS: Suffolk (1-1) | Bridgewater State (2-0)  

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Rams and Bears played a back-and-forth battle with five lead exchanges over the first 10 minutes to sit even at 21-all at the first break.  

Matters remained a two-possession game for the majority of the second stanza, but the Bears outscored the Rams, 7-0 over the final 2:59 to grab a 43-36 lead at half time.  

Suffolk's late scoring draught that ended the second quarter carried out of the locker into the first 1:31 of the third. In that time, Bridgewater built a double-digit distance 47-36. From there, for every hoop the Rams got, the Bears responded to keep things at a double-figure margin, 55-43, four minutes into the third frame.  

Once again, the blue-and-gold's scoring stopped and the hosts capitalized, this time building a 17-point advantage, which it held after 30 minutes.

The Rams attempted a comeback in the fourth and put together an 8-2 run over the first five minutes to pull within 10, 72-62.  

See-saw action ensued over the final five minutes though and Bridgewater went on to seal Suffolk's setback. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Jenni-Rose DiCecco powered Suffolk's offense with 20 points to go along with five caroms, four assists, three steals and one block. 
• Emily Welling registered an 18-board, 10-point double-double outing. She added three dimes, two takeaways and one swat. 
• Maddie Stewart notched 14 points in a reserve effort off a 5-for-11 performance from the floor and a 4-for-8 showing from the charity stripe. The Rams' rookie also grabbed seven rebounds with two assists and one steals. 
• Gabriella DeComo rounded out the Rams in double figures with 13 points. 
• Bridgewater State won the battle on the boards, 50-48. 
• Suffolk shot 34.7 percent (26-75) from the floor, and just 23.5 percent (4-17) from behind-the-arc and 59.3 percent (16-27) at the line.  

NOTEWORTHY

• Welling produced a career-high 18 rebounds. The 18 boards are the most for a Suffolk student-athlete since Alexis Hackett set a program-record of 19 caroms against Johnson & Wales Feb. 20, 2018. 
• Welling logged her third collegiate double-double, first since doing do against Gordon, March, 25, 2021. 
• Stewart set a new personal-best in points (14), rebounds (7), assists (2) and tallied her first career takeaway. 
• DiCecco recorded her first 20-point game of the year and first 20-point outing since pouring in 22 in a 61-54 win at Endicott March 6, 2021. 

POST-GAME PIC
 
 
COMING UP
Suffolk will remain on the road and has one day to prep for its Monday, Nov. 15 outing at Salem State. Game time in Witch City is set for 7 p.m.