PITTSBURGH, Pa. (Nov. 21) – Five players scored in double figures as the Saint Vincent women's basketball team coasted to a 98-63 victory over Chatham University in the Presidents' Athletic Conference opener for both teams.
The Bearcats were strong on both ends of the court, shooting 57.9 percent from the field while forcing Chatham to commit 25 turnovers in the victory.
SVC got off to a fast start, scoring the first seven points of the game, with a basket each from sophomore Kayla Slovenec, graduate student Mara Benvenuti and junior Maria Morgan. Chatham answered with a pair of free throws and eventually cut the deficit to 8-5.
Saint Vincent countered with a 6-2 run with a basket each from Morgan, Benvenuti and senior Babette Sanmartin. That run gave the Bearcats a 14-7 lead with 3:54 to play in the first quarter. After four straight points from Chatham, Saint Vincent closed the quarter with back-to-back baskets from sophomore Taylor Boring, taking a 20-15 edge after 10 minutes.
Like they did in the first quarter, the Bearcats started fast in the early stages in the second quarter as well. Six straight points, including a jumper from Boring, made it 26-15 with 6:39 to play in the half.
Chatham was able to close the gap to 35-26 with 3:39 left in the half after a 9-4 run by the home team. The Bearcats pulled away late in the first half, using a 14-6 run to take a 49-32 lead into halftime. The run was sparked by Morgan, who scored eight during that stretch, including a pair of made three-pointers.
Saint Vincent shot it exceptionally in the first half, connecting on 61.1 percent of its field goal attempts. Morgan led all scorers with 14 points at the break, while Sanmartin contributed 8 points and 5 rebounds over the first 20 minutes.
The Bearcats were able to keep a double-digit lead for the entire third quarter. The Cougars closed the deficit to 13 (63-50) but the Bearcats used a 9-0 run to make it 72-50 lead with less than a minute left in the quarter. After a Chatham field goal, freshman Jenna Lafko beat the third quarter buzzer to make it 74-52 heading to the fourth.
SVC showed no let up in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Cougars by a 24-11 over the final 10 minutes. The lead grew to as many as 35 points, which was the final margin.
Leading the way was Sanmartin, who just missed a double-double, tallying 19 points and 9 rebounds. Morgan finished with 14 points, while Boring added 13 and Slovenec chipped in 12 points. Sophomore Paige Montrosechipped in 10 points, while Benvenuti added nine points, four assists and three steals. Slovenec and freshman Carlee Kilgus also added in four assists each, as the Bearcats recorded 25 assists to just 10 turnovers in the victory.
The win moves SVC to 1-0 in PAC play and 1-1 overall. Chatham drops to 0-1 in the league and 1-3 overall.
After enjoying a brief Thanksgiving break, Saint Vincent hosts a pair of games at the Carey Center this upcoming weekend. First up for the Bearcats will be Juniata College on Saturday, Nov. 25. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.