New London, Conn. – Four players scored in double figures as the Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team raced past Mitchell, 81-40, in non-conference action on Tuesday night inside the Yarnall Athletic Center.
In the season opener for both squads, the Falcons (1-0) held the host Mariners (0-1) to just 21 percent shooting and forced 25 Mitchell turnovers in the victory. Albertus Magnus knocked down over 53 percent of their shots and controlled the glass, outrebounding the Mariners, 50-37.
Senior guard Liz Falcigno (Wallingford, Conn.) had an efficient game for the guests, scoring 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting in just 26 minutes of action. Falcigno hit five shots from beyond the arc, pulled down nine rebounds and had a game-best four steals on the defensive end. Junior forward Olivia Bolden (South Windsor, Conn.) recorded a double-double for the Falcons, scoring 18 points and grabbing a game-best 16 rebounds. Sophomore guard Deja Ward (Middletown, Conn.) and junior Kiki Epps (Norwalk, Conn.) both scored in double figures for Albertus Magnus as well, pouring in 14 and 10, respectively. Ward also did a good job distributing the ball, dishing out eight of the team's 15 assists.
It was a balanced offensive attack for the Mariners as four of the five starters scored five or more points. Jessica Shepherd had a team-best nine points for Mitchell thanks to hitting four field goals, while Francesca Pinard had six for the hosts. Off the bench, Kate McCormack chipped in four assists and three rebounds for the home team.
Albertus Magnus got off to a quick start, taking an early 5-0 edge thanks to a trey and a jumper from Falcigno. The Mariners would battle back to pull within one at 12-11 following a layup by Tiana Edwards with three and a half minutes left in the first quarter. AMC would close out the opening quarter on a 10-0 run capped by a Ward lay in to take a 22-11 lead into the second frame.
In the second quarter, the guests would outscore Mitchell, 19-8, to take a 41-19 lead into the break. Over the final eight minutes of the half, Albertus Magnus went on a 17-3 run during which Bolden had eight points and AMC forced six turnovers.
Albertus Magnus held Mitchell to just three made field goals in the third quarter to take a 63-29 lead into the final stanza. AMC put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter by hitting 7-of-9 free-throw attempts.
Albertus Magnus returns to action on Thursday, November 17,with a home non-conference clash against Medgar Evers that is slated to begin at 7:00 pm at The Nest inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center. Last December, the Falcons raced past the Falcons, 90-32, in the Empire State.
For the latest information on the women's basketball team and Albertus Magnus athletics, follow AMCAthletics on Twitter and visit AlbertusFalcons.com.
