Nov. 10, 2006
WORCESTER, Mass. - Laura Aloisi had 20 points and seven assists to lead Holy Cross (1-0) to a 68-56 victory over Yale (0-1) Friday night at the Hart Center. The game was the season opener for both teams.
Holy Cross built a 38-21 halftime lead on the strength of 12-of-21 shooting (57.1 percent). The Crusaders also shot 81.3 percent (13-for-16) from the free throw line in the opening 20 minutes, while Yale didn't go to the line once. Aloisi had 13 points, four assists and three steals in the first half. The Bulldogs shot just 28.6 percent (10-for-35) from the field in the stanza, including just 10 percent (1-for-10) from three-point range.
"We were pretty nervous and rocky out of the blocks," Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach Chris Gobrecht said. "There were definitely some first game jitters."
Holy Cross opened the second half on a 17-10 run to increase its lead to a game-high 21 points. With the Bulldogs trailing 57-36, Erica Davis tallied eight consecutive points to pull Yale within 13 at 57-44. The Bulldogs got within nine when Chinenye Okafor's jumper made the score 63-54 with 2:19 remaining, but a layup by Ashley McLaughlin and a three-pointer by Briana McFadden on the Crusaders' next two possessions put the game out of reach. Yale was held without a field goal over the last 2:19, as Holy Cross posted a 68-56 victory.
"We didn't shoot well," Gobrecht said. "We did everything else we wanted to do. We outrebounded them. I thought we played pretty well in the second half."
Davis, starting for Sara McCollum, who missed the game to attend her sister's wedding, led the Bulldogs with 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting. She added seven rebounds and tied her career high with four steals.
"Her teammates did a good job of finding her," Gobrecht said about Davis. "She did a good job of finishing."
Okafor tallied 14 points and a game-high eight rebounds, and added four assists. Making her collegiate debut, Melissa Colborne tallied 10 points and four rebounds in 17 minutes. Fellow freshman Jacqueline Erickson posted two points, three rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes, while Ashley Carter got the start and notched two points and four rebounds in 20 minutes. The Bulldogs shot 32.9 percent (23-for-70) as a team, but were done in by poor three-point shooting (2-for-19, 10.5 percent). Yale outrebounded Holy Cross, 38-33.
Kaitlin Foley had 13 points for the Crusaders and Bethany O'Dell added 11. Kathy Gruzynski poured in nine points and a team-high six boards. McLaughlin had six rebounds and three steals for Holy Cross. The Crusaders shot 52.1 percent (25-for-48) from the field in the game, including 42.9 percent (3-for-7) from behind the three-point arc.
The Bulldogs return to action on Friday, Nov. 17, when they visit 19th-ranked DePaul at 8:30 p.m. Eastern in the first round of the DePaul Invitational.
NOTES: November 10 marks the earliest season opener in Yale history...All 11 players who dressed played at least five minutes, and eight scored at least two points...Yale has lost 18 consecutive road games.
Report filed by Joe Clifford, Yale Sports Publicity
