New Haven, Conn. – Four players scored in double figures and the team registered 22 steals as the Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team netted a 76-55 non-conference victory against Medgar Evers on Wednesday evening at The Nest inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center.
The Falcons (2-0) forced 29 Cougar (0-2) turnovers en route to their second straight victory of more than 20 points.
Junior guard Angelina Piccirillo (Naugatuck, Conn.) provided a spark off the bench for the hosts and poured in 12 points to go along with five rebounds and a career-high six steals. Classmate Olivia Bolden (South Windsor, Conn.) continued her strong post play and finished one rebound shy of a double-double thanks to a 15-point, nine-rebound performance. Sophomore guards Jill Johnson (North Haven, Conn.) and Deja Ward (Middletown, Conn.) had an efficient night, combing to shoot 6-of-9 from the field with five rebounds and four steals. Johnson had 10 and Ward chipped in 14 points to go along with a game-high six assists. Senior guard Liz Falcigno (Wallingford, Conn.) filled out the stat sheet for the Falcons, scoring nine points, grabbing eight rebounds and registering a career-best eight steals.
It was a one-woman show for Medgar Evers as senior guard Elesha Dieudonne poured in a game-high 27 points courtesy of a 10-of-24 shooting performance. Dieudonne pulled down 10 boards to record a double-double and also had five steals and three assists. Sophmore forward Chanelle Perry was a force in the post for the visitors, grabbing a game-best 13 rebounds and scoring eight points. Off the bench, senior Ashley Desir and sophomore Cyndi White combined for 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Albertus Magnus opened the game 26-1 run and never looked back. During the first quarter, the stout Falcon defense forced 10 Medgar Evers turnovers and held the guests without a made field goals (0-for-11). In the first stanza, Bolden had 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting for the hosts and AMC knocked down all four of their free-throw attempts.
In the second quarter, the Albertus Magnus reserves came on and outscored the Cougars, 23-14, to take a 49-15 edge into halftime. Seven different Falcons scored in the second frame and the hosts held MEC to just 23 percent shooting (3-of-13).
Albertus Magnus pulled away in the second half, stretching its lead to as many as 45 late in the third quarter. The hosts emptied the bench in the final stanza and Medgar Evers closed strong to end the contest down by 21.
Albertus Magnus returns to action on Saturday, November 19, with a road showdown against No. 2 Amherst. Last winter, the Jeffs topped the Falcons at home.
For the latest information on the women's basketball team and Albertus Magnus athletics, follow AMCAthletics on Twitter and visit AlbertusFalcons.com.
