BRISTOL, R.I. – The Roger Williams University Women's Basketball team was unable to overcome a halftime deficit in their season opener on Friday evening in the Campus Rec Center, falling to Babson, 71-53.
The Hawks were held to 32.8 percent from the field, while knocking down 30.0 percent of their shots from three-point range. Babson scored 18 points in the paint, while RWU had 22. Babson secured 15 second-chance points, while shooting 31.0 percent. The Beavers also out-rebounded the Hawks 56-40. Babson also had four blocks and seven steals, with the Hawks earning four blocks and five steals.
The Beavers were led offensively by Samantha Reale, who tallied 17 points with 12 rebounds for a double-double. Alyssa Hopps also filled the stat sheet with 10 points, nine rebounds, and a pair of blocks and assists. Rylie Rosenberg and Emily Flynn both had double-digit scoring, while Chloe Perreault also drained three triples with seven rebounds.
Sophia Coppola (Madison, Conn.) secured a double-double with four blocks in the matchup while pulling down six boards on the offensive end of the glass, shooting 4-for-16. The Hawks saw Maia Riccio (Cranston, R.I.) lead the team with 11 points, while Lilli Clark (Willimantic, Conn.) also had nine points with five rebounds in 19 minutes.
After Allessia Carlo and Perreault each hit a three-pointer to take a 6-0 lead, the Hawks answered with Chloe Richardson (Norwell, Mass.) knocking down back-to-back threes for the Hawks to level the score. RWU was able to jump out to a 12-6 lead before Babson was able to knot the score at 17-17 with a layup by Hopps with 27 seconds remaining in the quarter. A three-pointer by Rylie Rosenberg gave the Beavers a 20-17 lead with one second remaining in the frame.
The Beavers took advantage in the second, as they outscored the Hawks 22-10 to take a commanding 42-27 lead into the halftime break, after shooting 36.84 percent from the floor, knocking down all six of their free throw attempts. The Beavers held the Hawks to 25 percent from the floor.
Babson also outscored the Hawks in the third quarter, as they sealed the tilt and held off the Hawks in the fourth.
Roger Williams (1-0) will host Wheaton on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 6:00 pm ahead of a pair of road contests in New London, Conn., against Connecticut College on Saturday, Nov. 15 and Mitchell on Sunday, Nov. 16.
