The women’s basketball team cruised to an easy victory in their season opener, crushing Brown 85-41 Sunday afternoon at the TD Banknorth Sports Center.
The Bobcats dominated Brown on defense, forcing 28 turnovers and holding them to an astounding 20 percent shooting from the field. The team got off to a fast start and controlled the tempo of the game from the get-go. A three pointer by junior Erin Kerner put the Bobcats up 20-8 with 9:27 remaining in the first half.
Kerner, one of two Bobcats named to the all-NEC preseason team, led all scorers with 21 points, despite only playing 18 minutes. She got off to a hot start, scoring 10 of the teams first 16 points and giving the Bobcats a 38-21 lead at halftime.
The Bobcats’ other all-NEC preseason selection, senior Monique Lee, scored 12 points and added 9 rebounds. Quinnipiac, picked to finish third in the NEC, was the only school out of the 11 member institutions to land two players on the preseason squad.
Lee felt as if the girls were well-prepared for the game and came in with great intensity.
“I think it was a great win for us to get us on the right track,” Lee said. “We had great intensity, but we need to keep it going every day.”
Junior Mandy Pennewell scored 20 points and added nine rebounds.
Fellow junior Brianna Rooney added 13 points and three assists.
Head Coach Tricia Fabbri, who guided the Bobcats to a 16-12 record and an NEC championship appearance a season ago, was happy with her team’s performance and felt they were ready to go.
“I was really pleased,” Fabbri said. “We came out hungry and ready to play, and everyone is feeling solid about their performances.”
Fabbri also thinks that the team should focus on their goals on a game to game basis, pointing towards an upcoming series which will test their skills.
“I’ve been saying that we should look to improve and get better game to game,” Fabbri said. “We are going to Maine and there we will play some really good competition which will help us get better.”
The Bobcats will return to action on Nov. 23 at the Dead River Company Classic in Orono, Maine.
