POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The William Paterson women's basketball team (1-0) cruised to a 78-57 season-opening win over Ursinus (0-1) on the first day of the Hochberg Family Tip-Off Tournament hosted by Vassar College Nov. 8.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• William Paterson trailed by one (10-9) with 4:27 left in the opening quarter before sophomore Mattison Chiera (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) poured in seven straight points to spark a 16-4 run that spanned the remainder of the frame.
• WP opened the second quarter with five unanswered points to push the advantage to 14 (30-14) and maintained the double-digit lead (39-26) heading into the halftime break.
• The Pioneers owned a 26-point advantage (62-36) entering the fourth frame after outscoring the Bears, 23-10, in the third quarter. Ten of the Pioneers' 23 points came from the charity stripe with junior Renee Wells (Leonardo, N.J./Middletown South) shooting a flawless 6-for-6 from the line.
• An 18-7 run by Ursinus that spanned the first 6:45 of the final quarter pulled the Bears within 15 (69-54). However, it was too late as the Pioneers warded off any further damage and captured the 78-57 victory.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Wells finished with a game-high 17 points to go with six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
• Senior Brianna Smith (Hillsdale, N.J./Pascack Valley) totaled nine points with three rebounds and two steals.
• Sophomore Patty Walsh (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) had eight points, five boards, two assists, two blocks and a steal.
• Senior Victoria Palladino (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) and sophomores Chiera and Jada Jacobs (Mount Laurel, N.J./Medford Tech) each finished with seven points.
• Jacobs, junior Jasmine Sullivan (Hillside, N.J./Hillside) and freshmen Kaelyn Gowdy (Fultondale, Ala./Minor), Leilani Pinder (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick), Anna Primerano (Chesterfield, N.J./Notre Dame H.S.) and Kasey Slade (Pasadena, Md./Chesapeake) all made their WP debuts.
• Gowdy and Primerano scored their first collegiate points.
• The Pioneers opened their season with a win for the second consecutive year.

 
UP NEXT:

• William Paterson will take on Vassar Saturday, Nov. 9, at 4:00 p.m.   

 
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