Nov. 10, 2006

Box Score

Junior guard Laura Aloisi (Nashua, N.H.) had 20 points and senior center Kaitlin Foley (Albany, N.Y.) added 13 to lead the Holy Cross women's basketball team to a 68-56 non-conference win over Yale in the season opener for both teams on Friday night at the Hart Center. Holy Cross is 1-0 overall while the Bulldogs begin the season 0-1.

The Crusaders had a 17 point lead at the completion of the first half, 38-21. Of their 38 points, 13 were made on free throws as the Bulldogs sent the Crusaders to the line 22 times in the first 20 minutes of play. Foley went five for seven at the line as Kathy Gruzynski (Elk Grove, Ill.) went three for five in the first half. Holy Cross did not send Yale to the line all half.

Aloisi and Foley lead the team as they combined for 24 points before entering the second half of the game.

Holy Cross had a 21 point lead twice in the second half with about 10 minutes remaining in the game, but Yale chipped away at the Crusaders lead and came within nine points when Chineny Okafor hit a jumper to make it 63-54 with two minutes to play. Senior forward Okafor had 14 points for Yale while Erica Davis led the Bulldogs with 18.

The Crusaders took away numerous scoring opportunities from the Bulldogs throughout the game as they totaled 13 steals with Aloisi and Ashley McLaughlin (Andover, Mass.) each having three.

Freshmen Briana McFadden (Wheaton, Md.) and Bethany O'Dell (Lincoln, R.I.) made their rookie debut starting their first collegiate game and scoring seven and 11 points respectively. Freshman Tayana Carper (Shrewsbury, Mass.) also made her first collegiate appearance as a Crusader recording 12 minutes and scoring her first two points.

Aloisi came one field goal short of breaking her career record 21 points as she led the team with 20 points. She went eight for 12 from the field and added four rebounds. Foley led the team with six rebounds.

The Crusaders shot 52.1 percent from the floor and went 15 for 22 at the line while holding Yale to 32.9 percent from the floor.

Holy cross will travel to Jersey City, N.J. to take on Saint Peter's Sunday at 2:00 p.m. The Crusaders have six straight road games and will be back at the Hart Center Friday, December 1 to face Boston College at 7:00 p.m.