BOSTON, Mass - In a heated competition between NEWMAC rivals, Emerson Women's Basketball defeated the Clark University Cougars, 80-67.

This victory snaps a five game losing streak for the Lions, who are now 4-9 overall and 2-5 in conference play.

The Cougars, who are in the midst of a four-game-in-seven-day stretch, fall to 3-12 overall and 1-6 in conference contests.

Emerson was ahead early as Elizabeth Horan (Ashland, Mass.) started connecting on three-pointers putting the hosts ahead 21-18 after the opening stanza.

Clark briefly took the lead as they opened the second quarter on a 7-0 run as O'Gara swished a three-pointer of her own, then found Dominique St. Pierre (Portsmouth, N.H.) on the business end of a fast break and then Haley Wilder (Rindge, N.H.) scored inside.

The Lions had an answer, however, as they closed the period on a 20-5 run that gave them 41-31 halftime edge. Things could have been closer heading into intermission but the Scarlet and White struggled from the free throw line, going just 6-for-12 in the first half and just 19-for-30 overall (63 percent).

O'Gara scored 11 of the Cougars' 18 points in the third quarter as they made their push to get back within striking distance. Ironically, she did most of her damage from the charity stripe, but Clark also got hoops from Torieana St. Pierre (Portsmouth, N.H.) and Sullivan and a deep three-point bomb from Kacey Legare (Chicopee, Mass.). When St. Pierre scored on a swooping left handed hook shot, Clark was within six at 54-48 with 40 seconds to go in the third.

Clark was still as close as seven on several occasions in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, including when O'Gara converted a conventional three-point play and again moments later when she scored on an inside scoop shot that made it 61-54.

Emerson then ran off eight straight points to take their biggest lead of the game as Charlie Boyle (Scotts Valley, Calif.) scored on an inside jumper and Sierra Ducey (Poway, Calif.) and Horan contributed to the run with a layup and three-pointer, respectively.

Down 69-54, Clark made one final push, getting as close as seven on a pair of Wilder free throws and again two minutes later when Sullivan dropped in a jumper. That Sullivan basket with 2:25 left wound up being the final points of the game for Clark as the Lions scored the final six points to sweep the season series for the second straight season.

After shooting 50 percent in the first half, Emerson cooled off in the second but still shot 44 percent for the game. Clark held a 45-41 edge on the glass and forced 25 Lion miscues but posted their seventh game this season in which they failed to shoot 30 percent or better.

Boyle came off the bench to finish with a team-best 26 points for Emerson, who also got 17 points from Horan, who went 5-for-8 from behind the arc. Ducey, meanwhile, just missed out on a double-double with nine points and nine boards.

In addition to O'Gara's 28 points, she also had six assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals. Sullivan joined her in double figures with 11 points and six boards and Wilder chipped in with eight points and six caroms.