AMHERST, Mass. (January 3, 2026) – Amherst College, ranked No. 19 in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division III coaches poll, scored all nine points of the second overtime session to secure its third-straight win with a 78-69 double-overtime decision over Emerson College in a non-conference women's basketball clash at LeFrak Gymnasium this afternoon.

The two teams combined to record four double doubles with two aside in the contest that featured seven ties and six lead changes. Senior Annie McCarthy scored five of Amherst's nine points in the second overtime session to secure the win, finishing with a double-double performance of 17 points and ten rebounds with two blocked shots and two steals as she converted 5-of-6 free-throws – all coming in double-OT.

Senior Laura Mendell led all scorers with a game-high 24 points to pace four from Amherst in double-figures, adding three rebounds, two assists and four blocked shots. Freshman Chase Anderson added a double-double of ten points and a game-high 11 rebounds with three assists and two blocks off the bench for the Mammoths, while sophomore Elizabeth Cain totaled 12 points, seven boards and two steals.

Gould posted her first career double-double with 11 points and a career-best ten rebounds off the bench (PHOTO BY Bob Blanchard)

Senior Bri Frongillo paced a season-high five from Emerson in double figures with 19 points and three assists, while sophomore Lindsay Gould posted her first career double-double off the bench with 11 points and a career-high ten rebounds, connecting on 4-of-7 shots from the floor, including 2-for-5 from three. Junior Claire English recorded a double-double for the Lions with ten points and ten boards, blocking three shots, while classmate Kaylin O'Meara totaled 11 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Sophomore Jessie Silk chipped in ten points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals for the Lions.

Emerson fought back from a nine-point deficit (23-14) late in the first quarter to draw within two (36-34) at the half behind 11 first half points from Frongillo. Both teams emerged from the intermission ice cold before Emerson junior Kendra Dodd pulled the Lions level four and a half minutes into the third quarter.

Dodd gave Emerson its first lead of the second half (41-38) with a three-pointer with 3:50 left in the third and then Silk extended the lead to four (47-43) with a pair of free throws with 60-seconds to go in the frame.

After trading the lead back and forth over the first four minutes of the fourth, Emerson grabbed a four-point lead of its own (55-51) after a three-point play by Silk with 5:50 on the clock. Amherst followed with six straight points from three different players to reclaim the lead (57-55) after a layup by senior Anna Tranum with 4:10 to play. The lead went back and forth over the remainder of regulation with Frongillo forcing overtime with a pair of free-throws with 21-seconds on the clock.

The see saw continued into overtime with both teams holding leads, but none more than a possession. Frongillo scored a layup to push Emerson on top (69-67) with 1:32 on the clock, but Mendell scored a layup off a Lions turnover to knot the score with 61-seconds to go. Both teams missed attempts in the final minute of overtime, and each posting a block along the way, to send the game into double overtime.

Cain put Amherst in front for good on the opening possession of the second overtime and Mendell provided the Mammoths with the first two possession lead by either team in the extra sessions before McCarthy iced the game at the free-throw line in the final minute as Emerson came up empty on eight shots from the floor and four free-throw attempts in the second extra frame.

Noteworthy

• Emerson played its first overtime game of the season and first since a 63-61 overtime setback against Worcester Polytech in Boston last February.
• It marks Emerson's first double-OT game since an 89-84 triple overtime win over Coast Guard on February 2, 2019.
• Frongillo scored in double figures for the 21^st-straight game dating back to last season and 50^th time in her collegiate career overall. She led the Lions in scoring for the 40^th time in her career.
• English posted her fourth double-double of the season (11^th career), scoring in double digits for the sixth time this season (16^th career) and collecting double-digit rebounds for the 18^th time in her career.
• Silk posted her team-leading 11^th double figure scoring game of the season (26^th career), while Gould reached double digits for the fifth time.
• Dodd made her team-leading 60^th career start for Emerson.

Up Next
Emerson (8-4, 0-0 NEWMAC) is right back in action on Tuesday when it visits Middlebury College at 5:30 p.m. The Lions return home on Saturday, January 17, when they open NEWMAC play by hosting Salve Regina University at 1 p.m. Amherst (9-1, 0-0 NESCAC) visits Springfield College on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

For the latest on Emerson Athletics, follow the Lions via social media on Instagram as well as online at emersonlions.com powered by SIDEARM Sports.