The Emerson College women’s basketball team defeated Emmanuel College 63-58 Tuesday night at the Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gym.

The Lions finished the first quarter with a one-point lead, 10-9. The Emmanuel Saints adopted an aggressive defensive stance from the beginning of the game. Head coach Bill Gould said this was not unexpected.

“They’ve always been very, very physical, and sometimes that physicality gets a little bit [out of control],” Gould said. “I think it was more inexperience and them just not quite knowing how to be physical without it looking dirty.”

The aggressiveness was evident on both sides. The Saints ended the contest with 24 personal fouls, while the Lions committed 16.

Point guard Jessie Silk appeared injured after physical contact with an Emmanuel player, though no foul was called. Forward Charlotte Levison was also injured during physical contact in the paint following a foul by an Emmanuel player. Silk later returned to the court and appeared healthy, but Levison was subbed out and did not return.

However, the players did not seem bothered by the intensity.

“That [physicality] was something we struggled with a little bit back and forth,” said guard Kendra Dodd, who scored a team-high 15 points. “But I think overall, we competed really nicely against them and matched their physicality.”

“I enjoyed it, always, like some competition with the posts, and it felt like it was a good game,” said center Claire English. “I expected nothing less from them.”

English was a pivotal factor in the Lions’ victory, finishing with 14 points, five blocks (a team-high), and 11 rebounds (a team-high). She is now the Lions’ leading scorer and rebounder this season, with 121 points and 103 rebounds through 10 games.

In response to the physicality, both teams frequently substituted players throughout the game. Nine of Emerson’s 12 players saw action, while 11 of Emmanuel’s 12 players got minutes, according to the game’s box scores. Offenses on both sides picked up slightly in the second quarter. The Lions scored 17 points, while the Saints added 16. The Lions held a two-point edge going into halftime.

Dodd was a key reason the Lions maintained their advantage in the first half. She hit three three-pointers in the first two quarters, providing a critical boost to the team’s offense.

“Kenny is great. She’s always communicative. She looks in every time,” said English. “I look out for her for the kick out, and she’s there.”

“She’s open, I always know it’s [the shot] going in. It’s always a beautiful shot,” English added.

The Lions shifted momentum after halftime, outscoring the Saints 16-7 in the third quarter to build a 43-32 lead.

When asked if this style of play is typical for the team, Gould said the Lions are still figuring out their identity.

“There were games, like the Westfield game, where I thought we played pretty well from start to finish,” Gould said. “This game was a little back and forth.”

“We are trying to figure out who we are,” he added.

The fourth quarter was a nail-biter. The Lions started strong with Dodd hitting a three-pointer to extend the margin to 14 points. However, the Saints did not back down. Midway through the fourth, the Lions committed several fouls, giving the Saints free-throw opportunities that they capitalized on, cutting the lead to single digits. 

Emmanuel’s Tiffany Fischer hit a three-pointer with 1:13 remaining, reducing the Lions’ lead to six points. The game came down to the final minute. Both teams called multiple timeouts. The Saints fouled the Lions to stop the clock, sending them to the free-throw line. Silk made two crucial free throws with 55 seconds left.

With 38 seconds remaining, Fischer hit another three-pointer, cutting the lead to five points. However, two critical blocks by English helped the Lions secure the win.

When asked about the crucial factors in the victory, players and coaches emphasized composure.

“Just keeping our composure towards the end,” Gould said. “And then hitting some free throws down the end, and then defensively not giving them too many easy shots when they were trying to shoot threes.”

“We played really good defense,” Dodd said. “We executed for the most part on offense, and we just stayed composed.”

The Lions will face Regis College on Dec. 14 at 1 p.m. in the Bobbi Brown and Steven Plofker Gym.