KISSIMMEE, Fla. --- Colby College's Julianne Kowalski and Jil Vaughan nearly had identical statistics as each player had 20 points to lead the Mules to a 98-66 victory over Salem State on the opening day of the ECAC Women's Basketball Holiday Classic on Saturday at the Kissimmee Civic Center.
The 22nd-ranked Mules move to 7-1 overall heading into Sunday's Florida finale against Castleton State at 11 a.m. (new time). Salem State falls to 2-5 overall.
Kowalski and Vaughan each shot 10-for-12 from the field and helped the Mules to a 49-29 rebound advantage. Kowalski added a game-high nine rebounds, three assists, and one blocked shot. Vaughan chipped in with seven boards. Vaughan continues to be a force in games in Florida – she earned Bracket B Most Outstanding Player honors when the Mules won a title last year.
The Mules had a number of players put up solid numbers in the easy victory. Junior point guard Aarika Ritchie finished with 13 points and a game-high seven assists, while Rachael Mack shot 5-for-7 from the field to finish with 12 points, six rebounds, and three steals. Jacky McLaughlin added 12 points, including three 3-point shots, Diana Manduca added six points and five assists, Kelly Potvin had six points and six rebounds, and Jennifer Nale hit two 3-point shots for six points.
Colby shot 55 percent (42-for-76) from the field and darted out to a 49-30 halftime bulge.
Margaret Wallace led Salem State with 17 points and Amy Barry was the other player in double figures with 12.
Colby had 24 assists in the game and held Salem State to just five assists on 26 made baskets.
COLBY 98, SALEM STATE 66
SALEM STATE (2-5)
Margaret Wallace 8-15 1-2 17; Amy Barry 4-8 1-2 12; Kristen Federico 2-6 5-6
9; Breanna Comeau 4-11 0-1 8; Madeleine Park 3-6 0-0 7; Tara Driscoll 1-5
2-2 5; Shary Martinez 2-4 0-0 4; Lisa Aylward 1-3 0-0 2; Sandra Lanier 1-5
0-0 2; Rachel Murphy 0-1 0-0 0; Monica Rivera 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-65 9-13
66.
COLBY (7-1)
Jil Vaughan 10-12 0-0 20; Julianne Kowalski 10-12 0-0 20; Aarika Ritchie
5-11 1-1 13; Rachael Mack 5-7 2-3 12; Jacky McLaughlin 4-8 1-4 12; Diana
Manduca 2-7 1-1 6; Kelly Potvin 3-6 0-0 6; Jen Nale 2-5 0-0 6; Gabrielle
Donahue 1-2 0-0 2; Jayde Bennett 0-0 1-2 1; Karlyn Adler 0-6 0-0 0. Totals
42-76 6-11 98.
Salem State................... 30 36 - 66
Colby......................... 49 49 - 98
3-point goals--Salem State 5-14 (Amy Barry 3-6; Tara Driscoll 1-5; Madeleine
Park 1-1; Breanna Comeau 0-2), Colby 8-23 (Jacky McLaughlin 3-5; Jen Nale
2-4; Aarika Ritchie 2-4; Diana Manduca 1-4; Gabrielle Donahue 0-1; Karlyn
Adler 0-4; Rachael Mack 0-1). Fouled out--Salem State-None, Colby-None.
Rebounds--Salem State 29 (Shary Martinez 5; Kristen Federico 5), Colby 49
(Julianne Kowalski 9). Assists--Salem State 5 (Shary Martinez 2), Colby 24
(Aarika Ritchie 7). Total fouls--Salem State 9, Colby 10. Technical
fouls--Salem State-None, Colby-None. A-82