Saturday, January 5, 2013 (Newton, Massachusetts) - The Mount Ida College women's basketball team stampeded through a 29-7 run to start Saturday's non-league contest against visiting Becker College ultimately solidifying a 72-41 victory to open second semester action. The Mustangs caused 29 Hawk turnovers with a swarming defense halting Becker's offensive attack to 28 percent from the floor on the day. Mount Ida was consistent shooting 40.6 percent and 75 percent from the charity stripe.
Host sophomore guard Allison O'Connor (Leominster, MA/Leominster) was hot early in the game adding 13 points on 3-7 shooting from downtown to spark the Mustangs offensive attack. Mount Ida junior guard/forward Abbey Fedigan (New Fairfield, CT/New Fairfield) had her best outing of the season notching a game-high 17 points on 7-10 shooting from the floor. Sophomore forward Jenn Rafuse (Brockton, MA/Brockton) controlled the visitors underneath the basket with a game-high four steals, three blocks along with 12 points respectively. Senior guard and Captain Evebonee Acosta (Hartford, CT/Bulkeley) dished out nine assists adding 11 points as well.
For the Hawks, junior guard Haley Ooms (Valatie, NY/Ichabod Crane) was the only opposing player in double digits with 11 points adding four assists. Junior forward's Tatiana Mojica (Worester, MA/Doherty) and Jacqueline Chila (Monroe, CT/Masuk) tallied six points each with Mojica caroming six boards.
The Mustangs improve to an overall record of 5-6 under the direction of first year Head Coach Leah Lipschitz and will host their first Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) contest of the season this Thursday against Pine Manor College with game time slated for 5:00 p.m. Becker will host New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) foe Newbury College Tuesday evening tipping off at 6:00 p.m.
Mount Ida built an opening 29-7 advantage through the first 10 minutes of play with no answer from the struggling visitors.
The Mustangs maintained their double digit advantage throughout the entire first stanza heading into halftime up 41-19 capped on a lay-in by junior forward Alicia Ward (North Reading, MA/North Reading). Mount Ida scored 21 of their 41 first half points off Becker turnovers.
The hosts inflated their lead to 29 points up 52-23 through the opening four and a half minutes of play to open the second half.
The Mount Ida advantage hovered around 30 points eventually going ahead by a game-high 37 points with 3:47 left in the contest finalized by a successful jumper by sophomore guard/forward Sierra Legge (Schodack Landing, NY/Maple Hill).
There would be no hope for the visitors with the Mustangs closing out a 72-41 non-conference win.