Behind 20 points from preseason All-American Ally Zywicki and some stingy defense, the University of Rochester women's basketball team cruised to a season opening 77-57 victory over Medaille College in the UR Chuck Resler Tip-off Tournament on Friday night.
 
The Yellowjackets (1-0) held Medaille to just 37% shooting for the game and only surrendered one 3-pointer for the whole game to the Mavericks (0-1).  The win puts UR in the Chuck Resler Tournament championship game against Tufts on Saturday at 6 pm.  Tufts defeated Baldwin Wallace in the first women's matchup of the day, 71-70.
 
Zywicki hit two 3-pointers early in the game to key a 13-4 lead out of the gate for the 'Jackets.  Zywicki paced Rochester in the first half with 12 points, 3 assists and 4 steals.  Head Coach Jim Scheible also got strong play in the opening period from Loren Wagner who pulled down eight rebounds, including three on the offensive end and bench player Emily Lewis who chipped in six first half points.  At the break UR held a 37-25 advantage.
 
The Yellowjackets would score 16 of the first 24 second half points to quickly build a 20-point margin six and a half minutes into the period.  Freshman Sarah Kaminsky hit a jumper with 13:27 to play to boost the UR lead to 53-33.
 
Wagner was a force inside for Rochester in the second half, scoring 13 of her 15 total points and ended the game with 13 total rebounds, including six on the offensive glass.  For the game, Rochester shot 48% (30-62) from the floor while hitting five trey's.  Medaille's bench outscored UR's 37-26.
 
The Yellowjackets did a tremendous job guarding Medaille's top scorer from last season, Joelle Pollak.  Pollak, who averaged over 18 points per game last year, was held to two points on 1-7 shooting and was 0-5 from 3-point range.  She is Medaille's all time leader in 3-point field goals.
 
Rochester looks to return to the top of the Chuck Resler Tournament tomorrow against Tufts after falling in the 2012 title game to the University of Scranton.  Tip-off is at 6 pm.