Junior Lianna Carrero (Hamden, Conn.) picked up her second career double-double as she recorded 18 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Albertus Magnus women's basketball team in a season-opening 89-59 win over Saint Joseph's College (L.I.) on Thursday. With the win, first-year head coach JR Fredette earned his first career victory at the helm of the Albertus Magnus women's basketball program.
Carrero, who finished just one assist shy of her first-ever triple-double, shot 50-percent from the floor and tallied a career-high nine assists for the Falcons. Her 14 rebounds also marked a career high.
After the Golden Eagles took a 2-0 lead out of the gate, their only lead of the contest, the Falcons went on an 11-6 run to take a 14-8 advantage eight minutes into play. The Falcons' largest lead of the first half came with 34 seconds left on the clock as Anna Sutila (Bridgeport, Conn.) hit a three pointer, giving the Falcons a 40-26 lead at intermission.
Sutila's 15 points, three rebounds and four-made three pointers all marked career highs for the sophomore.
The Falcons came out of the halftime break and shot 52.9-percent from the floor, including a 54.5-percent clip from behind the arc. With less than 12 minutes to go in the contest, Sutila hit another three pointer to give the Falcons a 20 point lead at 62-42. Albertus then pushed its lead out to 35 with 54 seconds left on the clock.
Freshman Kelsey Pendagast (Shelton, Conn.) posted solid numbers in her collegiate debut as she finished the night with 13 points and 15 rebounds in 22 minutes of work.
Junior Lindsay Karle (Wallingford, Conn.) added a game-high 20 points in the contest as she hit 5-of-12 from behind the arc. Junior Annie Raucci (Milford, Conn.) shot 5-of-8 from the floor for 10 points as well. The Falcons finished the contest shooting 43.7-percent, a 31-of-71 clip from the floor, while out-rebounding the Golden Eagles 65-39.
Saint Joseph's was led by Christina and Laura Cohen who both scored a team-high 16 points on an identical 6-of-18 showing from the floor.
The Falcons are now 2-1 all-time against Saint Joseph's of Long Island dating back to December of 2010. With tonight's victory, the Falcons avenged their 75-53 loss to the Golden Eagles last season. Tonight's win also marked the second-straight year that the Falcons have won their season opener.
The Falcons will play in the Blue Angel Tip-Off Tournament this weekend at the College of New Rochelle. Their first contest is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 against Yeshiva before facing off with either CNR or Cooper Union on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1 or 3:00 p.m.