CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Mitchell College Mariners opened New England Collegiate Conference women's basketball play in impressive fashion on Tuesday, defeating Lesley University by an 84-36 final at the Buckingham, Browne, & Nichols Gymnasium.

The Marines picked up their first win of the season and improved to 1-6 (1-0 NECC) overall. The Lynx fll to 1-5 (0-1 NECC).

Senior Kaylee Cerruto finished with a career-high 28 points, going 6-for-8 from long range, while freshman Amanda Garcia added 14 points and eight rebounds. Junior Kate Mulloy and senior Suzie Barbosa also reached double figures in scoring with 11 points each.

Ari Dimou paced the Lynx attack with 14 points to go along with eight rebounds while Sarah Apgar added eight points and six rebounds in 35 minutes of action.

Mulloy drained a three-pointer to open the game and Garcia followed with a mid-range jumper to give the Mariners an early 5-0 lead. The offense continued to hit from the floor for Mitchell as Cerruto's first of four first-half three's extended the lead to 8-2. 

A Grace Amato lay-up and an Apgar jumper kept the deficit at six, but Mitchell's offense was running on all cyclinders. Back-to-back three's by Cerruto, who would finish with 18 first-half points, extended the lead to 22-6 before the Mariners headed into the break up 41-14. 

Jackie Ewing finished a lay-up and Dimou followed with a three to cut the lead to 25 early in the second half, but Mitchell again fired back, stretching the lead to as many as 49 en route to victory.

Mitchell shot a season-high 43 percent (36-for-83) from the floor including 9-for-16 from behind the arc. Lesley shot 20 percent from the floor on the evening. 

Mitchell continues NECC play on Saturday, December 8 when it hosts Daniel Webster College at 1 p.m.