ORONO, ME. – La Salle women's basketball dropped the season-opener on the road to the Maine Black Bears 65-51. Ayisse Magassa and Joan Quinn each stood out for the Explorers in their debut with the team. La Salle will be back in action on Saturday when they play their home opener in the new John Glaser Arena against Delaware at 12:00 PM.
 
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HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The early-season cobwebs showed in the beginning stages of the game for both offenses. Ayisse Magassa broke the scoring open for her first points in an Explorer uniform just over a minute into the contest.
• The Maine offense, settled in rather quickly off of that. The Black Bears continually used the three-point shot to grow their lead.
• Sarah Talon and Paula Gallego each hit multiple three-point buckets to eventually help Maine to a 20-11 lead at the end of the first quarter of play.
• The Explorers, riddled with knew players, relied on them to claw at the lead Maine built. Freshman Joan Quinn buried her first three as an Explorer to get La Salle within single-digits.
• Ashleigh Connor, Magassa, and Quinn each had their moments down the stretch of the second quarter to help the Explorers.
• Galllego for Maine, however, continued to knock down shots. The guard finished the first half leading both teams in points with 13.
• Coming out of the half, Maine picked up right where they left off, and hit a three right out of the gate. Gallego his another three, bringing her point total to 16 points.
• The Explorers would then go on a run to get them back within one point. Mackenzie Daleba would begin the seven-point run.
• Magassa and Aryss Macktoon would add on, but the closer was Quinn. The freshman hit a three to put the Explorers back one point, 33-32.
• On the very next possession, however, Talon would hit a three for the Black Bears. The teams would go back and forth the remainder of the third, but by the end Maine held a ten-point lead.
• The Explorers would claw at the Maine lead early in the fourth and would find themselves down by six points, but the home squad would not lead their lead shrink any more.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Ayisse Magassa would finish the game as the leading scorer for La Salle, as she totaled 13 points. She also had three rebounds, and three steals.
• Joan Quinn concluded her collegiate debut with 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
• As a team La Salle stole 14 balls from the Black Bears with Aryss Macktoon securing five of those.
• La Salle shot 33.3% from the field, and went 2-13 from three-point range. Maine, however, went 10-29 from beyond the arch.

The Explorer defense was effective and forced a total of 19 turnovers, while only turning the ball over 13 times.