SELLINGSGROVE, Pa. -- Franklin & Marshall's women's basketball team started the Kirsten Richter era off in great fashion, defeating Susquehanna 69-51 Tuesday evening in both team's season opener. Three players scored in double-figures as the Diplomats defeated the Crusaders for the second straight year and improved to 1-0.

The Diplomats opened the game on a 10-4 run and never trailed, building an early 22-11 edge and finished the first half outscoring the Crusaders 17-7 to take a 39-18 lead into the break.

Megan Pauley scored ten of her 11 points in the opening stanza.  Pauley finished with a game-high 12 boards.

Alexa Barbush led the attack in the second half. Barbush dropped ten of her game-high 16 in the second as the Diplomats continued to add to their lead.  F&M led by as much as 27 points, 58-31, with 8:36 left before settling on the 69-51 final.

Allison Bauer scored 14, going 4-for-6 from the line.  Amy Chabitnoy pulled down eight boards to go along with four points.

F&M returns home this weekend for the annual Rotary Extravaganza-Terry Greene Memorial Tournament. The Diplomats will host cross-county rival Elizabethtown at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Tournament information can be found by clicking here.