BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Women's Basketball team bounced back in commanding fashion on Wednesday evening, using a dominant defensive effort and a strong inside presence to defeat Wheaton (MA), 61-36, at home. 

The Hawks controlled the game from the opening tip, holding the Lyons to just six points in the first quarter and building a double-digit lead that they never surrendered. RWU finished the night with a 54-46 rebounding advantage, racked up 12 steals, and outscored Wheaton 34-20 in the paint.

Sophia Coppola (Madison, Conn.) powered the Hawks on both ends, recording a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while adding two blocks and two steals. Chloe Richardson (Norwell, Mass.) added 10 points, four rebounds, and two steals, consistently pushing the pace in transition.

Lilli Clark (Willimantic, Conn.) was efficient around the rim, going 3-for-6 for nine points while grabbing seven boards. Ava Azzaro (Northampton, Mass.) provided a spark off the bench, shooting 3-for-7 and chipping in 10 points and six rebounds.

Defensively, RWU locked down Wheaton from the perimeter, holding the Lyons to 3-of-19 shooting from beyond the arc. Kiki Walters led all Wheaton scorers with 15 points, but the Hawks' pressure forced the visitors into 18 turnovers and just 21.9 percent shooting from the field.

After taking a 27-16 lead into halftime, the Hawks broke the game open with a 20-point third quarter, highlighted by transition baskets from Coppola, Clark, and Azzaro. RWU's depth continued to shine in the fourth as Meghan Husson (Windham, N.H.) knocked down a three and added a jumper to help seal the win.

Roger Williams improves to 1-1 on the season and will return to action later this week as they continue non-conference play at Connecticut College at 1:00 PM.