Nov. 13, 2009
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA – Miriam McKenzie led all scorers with 23 points, on 9-of-10 shooting from the floor, as the Loyola (MD) Greyhounds spoiled La Salle Women’s Basketball’s season opener at Tom Gola Arena on Friday, 69-55. Morgan Robertson tied a team-high with 12 points while grabbing a team-best six boards.
Nadia Duncan knotted the game up at four at the 15:31 mark of the first half, but that was the closest the Explorers would be the entire night. Following Duncan’s free throw, the Greyhounds poured in eight straight to take a 12-4 advantage.
Two free throws from Kaitlin Grant at the 9:29 marker gave Loyola (MD) its first double-digit lead of the game, 20-9, and then a converted three-point play from McKenzie upped the Greyhounds’ lead, 23-11.
Grant followed up McKenzie’s performance with 19 points, on 5-of-10 shooting, including seven boards, five assists and five steals. Grant went a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe on the evening.
The Explorers cut into their deficit with a 9-2 run, capped off by two Robertson free throws, with 4:32 remaining in the half, 25-20.
It was a back-and-forth game three minutes into the second half, but an Erica DiClemente layup capped off an 11-0 Loyola (MD) run to give the Greyhounds their largest lead of the evening, 51-27. DiClemente ended with 14 points and six rebounds.
Duncan matched Robertson’s scoring performance with 12 points, a career-high, while Antonia Gale followed up with 11 points and four rebounds.
Meredith Tolley rounded out all Greyhound double figure scorers with 11 points, on 4-of-4 shooting, and six boards. She converted on all three of her three-point baskets attempted.
In her first collegiate performance, Ebonee Jones scored six points off the bench and Ashley Gale and Tara Lapetina each chipped in with five points apiece.
The Explorers turned the ball over 24 times, went 3-for-15 from beyond the arc and shot 31.6 percent from the field in the first half. Loyola ended the game shooting 51 percent from the floor and 50 percent from three-point range.
The Explorers (0-1) kick off a four-game road trip on Sunday when they travel to Long Island for a 5:00 PM start.
