BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College Women's Basketball Team opened the 2013-14 season by hosting the 30th Annual EC Invitational. The Saints kicked off the campaign with a 65-52 win over Stevenson University.  Emmanuel held a one point lead at the break, but outscored the Mustangs by twelve points in the second half to notch their first win of the season.

Both teams struggled offensively in the early going with the Saints hitting just 3 of 17 and the Mustangs netting 2 of 14 through the first ten minutes of action. A bucket on the fastbreak by Lena Negri (Arlington, Va.) put the Saints up 12-9 with nine minutes left in the first-half. Stevenson's junior guard Abbey DeFeo (Columbia, Md.) drained a three from the baseline to knot the score at 12-all with eight minutes to go in the half.

After an Emmanuel free throw by Negri, DeFeo stuck another one from the baseline at the opposite end at the six-minute mark to put the Mustangs out in front, 15-13. Stevenson would make it an 11-2 run, taking a 23-15 lead with three minutes to go in the half. Britni Mikulanecz (Portland, Me.) found Vanessa Bramante (Stoneham, Mass.) on the break, and consecutive lay-ups by Negri and Mikulanecz cut the Emmanuel deficit to two, trailing 23-21 and forcing a Mustang timeout with 1:26 to go in the half.

Senior forward Liz Daley (Sharon, Mass.) scored out of the timeout to forge a tie at 23-all. Kayleigh Guzek (Ashburn, Va.) and Negri exchanged free throws at opposite ends to force another tie at 25-all. Negri got fouled on a put-back and sunk one of two freebies to give the hosts a slim one-point lead, 26-25, at halftime.

Negri's 16 points (8-11 FTs) and 9 rebounds led the way for the Saints at the break. The Saints out-rebounded the Mustangs, 25-21, in the first half, but Emmanuel was plagued by 19 turnovers in the opening frame. Junior guard Ty Bender (Richmond, Va.) led the Mustangs with 6 points in the half.

Senior captain Jasmine Burwell (Brentwood, N.J.) had a huge put-back midway through the second half, giving the Saints a 44-38 advantage. Emmanuel's full-court pressure defense forced Mustang turnovers in the backcourt and rookie forward Alexis Ezell (Acworth, Ga.) and Burwell scored in transition, as the Saints built a 51-40 lead off of a 9-2 run. Burwell then drained one from the line to give the hosts their first double-figure lead of the day with just over seven minutes left to play.

Bramante connected on an and-one to put the Saints out in front by fifteen, 60-45, at the two-minute mark. Negri continued to bury her free throws, making it a 64-47 game with 1:12 remaining.

Stevenson's Stephanie Martinez (Freehold Township, N.J.) drilled one from the top of the key and then had a put-back in the paint late in the game, but the Saints were able to hold on for the 65-52 win.

Negri finished the day with a career-high of 26 points off of 6-11 shooting from the field and 14-19 shooting from the line.  She also hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds to complete the double-double.  Negri's prior career-high of 24 points was scored back in December of her rookie year vs. Salem State University.

Burwell added 9 points and 6 boards, while Mikulanecz finished with a solid line of 8 points and game-highs of 8 steals and 7 assists.

Martinez led the way for Stevenson with 12 points.  Bender chipped in with 11 to go along with her 7 rebounds.  Kyarra Harmon (Waldorf, Md.) led the Mustangs on the glass with 8 boards.

Emmanuel out-rebounded Stevenson, 46-36, and the Saints forced 31 Mustang turnovers, scoring 36 points off the Stevenson miscues.

In the opening game of the tournament, Ohio Wesleyan University battled back from an 11-point second half deficit to defeat St. Lawrence University, 57-53.  Emmanuel will now face Ohio Wesleyan in tomorrow's tournament championship game at 3:00 PM.  The last time the Saints squared off against Ohio Wesleyan was in the NCAA Final Four back in 2001.  The Battling Bishops defeated the Saints, 70-64, in the consolation game of the Division III national championship.

Stevenson will face St. Lawrence University in the tournament consolation game at 1:00 PM.